Sunday School: Kids

God made everything in six days. On day one He made light. On day two He made the sky. On day three He made land, oceans, and plants. On day four He made the sun, moon, and stars. On day five He made fish and birds. On day six He made animals and then made people. After all of that, God looked at everything He had made and said it was very good.

The most special thing God made was people. He made Adam from the dust of the ground and breathed life into him. Then He made Eve. God said He made us in His own image, which means we are special above all other creatures. God put people in a beautiful garden called Eden and gave them the job of taking care of it.

When you see a rainbow or a flower or a puppy, remember that God made all of those things for us to enjoy. Creation is like a giant gift from God showing us how much He loves us. The Bible says the heavens declare the glory of God, which means nature itself tells us how amazing God is.

1. What did God make on day one?
2. What did God say after He finished making everything?
3. What makes people different from other things God created?
4. What is your favorite thing God created and why?
5. How can you take care of the things God made?

Draw a picture of your favorite part of creation. Label what God made it and what day He made it. Share with the class and say one thing you love about God's world.

Dear God, thank You for making such a beautiful world. Thank You for making me in Your image. Help me to always take care of the things You have made. Amen.

The serpent came to Eve and asked a tricky question. He suggested that God was keeping something good from them. He said if they ate the fruit they would be like God. Eve looked at the fruit. It looked good. She took some and ate it, and she gave some to Adam. As soon as they ate it, they knew they had done something wrong and they tried to hide from God.

When God came looking for them, Adam and Eve hid behind some trees. God asked what happened and they both tried to blame someone else. Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent. But disobeying God always has consequences. Life became harder, and they had to leave the beautiful garden. Sin had broken what was perfect.

Even though Adam and Eve made a terrible choice, God did not stop loving them. He made them clothes to keep them warm before they left the garden. And even in the moment He told them about the consequences, He gave them a hint that one day someone would come to make things right. That someone was Jesus.

1. What did God tell Adam and Eve they could not do?
2. How did the serpent try to trick Eve?
3. What happened when Adam and Eve disobeyed God?
4. How did God still show love to Adam and Eve even after they sinned?
5. When you make a wrong choice, what can you do?

Draw two pictures side by side. In the first picture draw Adam and Eve happy in the garden. In the second picture draw them after they disobeyed. Then draw a cross between the two pictures to show that Jesus came to fix what sin broke.

Dear God, I know I make wrong choices sometimes just like Adam and Eve. Thank You for still loving me and for sending Jesus to fix what sin broke. Help me to obey You. Amen.

Adam and Eve had two sons named Cain and Abel. Cain was a farmer and Abel was a shepherd. Both brothers brought an offering to God. Abel brought the very best of his animals and gave them to God with a grateful heart. Cain brought some of his crops, but his heart was not right. God was pleased with Abel's offering but not with Cain's.

When Cain saw that God was happy with his brother's offering, he became very angry and jealous. God warned Cain that sin was like a wild animal crouching at the door, waiting to attack him. God told Cain he could still do what was right. But Cain did not listen. He took his brother out to a field and hurt him so badly that Abel died.

God asked Cain where his brother was, and Cain lied and said he did not know. God told Cain that He knew what had happened and that there would be serious consequences for what Cain had done. Even though Cain made terrible choices, God still protected him. This story shows us that our choices matter and that giving God our best, not our leftovers, honors Him.

1. What did Cain and Abel each bring to God?
2. Why was God pleased with Abel's offering?
3. What did God warn Cain about before he hurt his brother?
4. What is jealousy and why is it dangerous?
5. What can you do when you feel jealous instead of letting that feeling grow?

Trace your hand on paper. On each finger write one thing you can do when you feel jealous. For example, pray, talk to someone, count your blessings, remember what you have, be happy for others.

Dear God, help me to give You my very best and not leftovers. When I feel jealous, help me to come to You instead of letting that feeling grow into something bad. Amen.

The world had become full of violence and wickedness. It made God sad to see people choosing to do evil. But Noah was different. The Bible says Noah was a righteous man and that he walked with God. God told Noah to build a giant boat called an ark and to bring two of every kind of animal on board. Noah obeyed every single thing God told him, even when his neighbors probably laughed at him.

When the ark was ready, God sent rain for forty days and forty nights. The floodwaters covered the whole earth. But Noah, his family, and the animals were safe inside the ark. After the rain stopped, Noah sent out a dove to look for dry land. Finally the dove came back with an olive branch in its beak, which meant the water was going down and land was appearing.

When Noah and his family came out of the ark, the very first thing Noah did was worship God. God was pleased and made a special promise to Noah and to all of creation: He would never flood the whole earth again. And God put a rainbow in the sky as a sign of that promise. Every time we see a rainbow, we can remember that God keeps His word.

1. Why did God choose to save Noah?
2. What did God ask Noah to build?
3. What happened when the rain finally stopped?
4. What was the rainbow a sign of?
5. What is something God has promised you in the Bible?

Make a rainbow using crayons or markers. On each color stripe write one promise God has made. For example: God loves me, God will never leave me, God forgives me. Color the picture to take home as a reminder.

Dear God, thank You for keeping Your promises just like You did for Noah. Help me to obey You even when it is hard or when other people do not understand. Thank You for the rainbow that reminds us of Your faithfulness. Amen.

After the flood, all the people in the world spoke the same language. They decided to build a city and a tower that reached all the way to heaven. Their reason was not to honor God. They wanted to make a great name for themselves. They were afraid of being scattered, so they thought if they built something big enough and famous enough, they would be safe. Their plan was all about them and not about God.

God came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. He saw that their hearts were filled with pride. He also knew that if they kept working together for selfish reasons, they would keep choosing to leave God out of everything. So God did something surprising. He gave them all different languages so they could no longer understand each other. They could not work together anymore and they scattered all over the earth.

The people at Babel thought their tower would make them great. But God reminded them that real greatness does not come from what we build or what we accomplish on our own. Real greatness comes from knowing God and doing what He says. When we try to live life without God and for our own glory, things fall apart. When we put God first, He builds something in us that is better than any tower.

1. Why did the people want to build the tower?
2. What was wrong with their reason for building it?
3. How did God respond to their plan?
4. What happened after God changed their languages?
5. What is the difference between doing something for your own glory and doing something for God's glory?

Try to stack blocks or books as high as you can. Then think about this: What is something you do for God's glory rather than just for yourself? Write or draw it and share.

Dear God, I do not want to be proud like the people at Babel. Help me to do things for Your glory and not just to make myself look good. Thank You that You are the only one who can build something that truly lasts. Amen.

A man named Abram lived in a city called Ur with his family. One day God spoke to Abram and told him to leave his country, his family, and his father's house and go to a land God would show him. God made Abram some big promises: He would make Abram into a great nation, He would bless him, and through Abram's family every family on earth would be blessed. Abram was seventy-five years old when God called him.

The Bible says Abram went, just as God had told him. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all their belongings and they started walking. They did not have a map. They did not know exactly where they were going. But they trusted God. When they reached the land of Canaan, God appeared to Abram and said this was the land He would give to his family.

One of the most important things God told Abram was that He would bless Abram so that Abram could be a blessing to all the families of the earth. This is the pattern of God's blessing: He does not bless us just so we can keep it all to ourselves. He blesses us so we can share His goodness with everyone around us. Through Abraham's family, Jesus would one day come and bless the whole world.

1. How old was Abram when God called him?
2. What did God ask Abram to leave behind?
3. What did Abram do when God told him to go?
4. What does it mean to be blessed to be a blessing?
5. If God asked you to do something hard, what would help you say yes?

Draw a path from a house to a new land. Along the path write the promises God made to Abraham. At the end of the path draw a big heart to represent how God's blessing through Abraham eventually reached you through Jesus.

Dear God, thank You for calling Abraham and for the blessing that came through his family all the way to me. Help me to trust You and follow You even when I do not know exactly where You are leading. Amen.

God told Abraham to take his son Isaac to a mountain and offer him as a sacrifice. This was the most difficult thing God had ever asked Abraham to do. Isaac was the son God had promised him. Abraham loved Isaac more than anything in the world. But Abraham got up early the next morning and began the journey, trusting that God knew what He was doing even when Abraham did not understand.

As they climbed the mountain, Isaac noticed they had wood and fire for the offering but no animal. He asked his father where the lamb was. Abraham answered in faith that God Himself would provide the lamb. Abraham built an altar and laid the wood on it and was about to obey when suddenly the angel of the Lord called out to him. God stopped Abraham and told him he did not need to go through with it, because now God knew that Abraham truly trusted Him.

Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught in a bush nearby. God had provided the sacrifice. Abraham offered the ram instead of Isaac. Abraham named that place The Lord Will Provide. God then repeated all His promises to Abraham because Abraham had shown total trust. This story also points to something bigger: one day God the Father would provide His own Son, Jesus, as the sacrifice for our sins.

1. What did God ask Abraham to do?
2. What did Abraham say when Isaac asked about the lamb?
3. What happened just before Abraham went through with the sacrifice?
4. What did God provide instead?
5. How does this story point to Jesus?

Draw a mountain with a ram caught in a bush at the top. Around the picture write things that are hard to trust God with. Then write the words God Will Provide in big letters across the top as a reminder.

Dear God, thank You for providing everything we need. Help me to trust You even with the most precious things in my life, knowing that You always have a plan. Thank You for providing Jesus as the sacrifice for my sins. Amen.

Esau was born first, which meant he would receive a special blessing called the birthright. One day Esau came home very hungry from hunting and saw that his brother Jacob had made some stew. Esau was so hungry that he traded his entire birthright for a bowl of stew. He traded something precious and permanent for something that would only satisfy for a few minutes. It was not a good trade.

Later, when their father Isaac was very old and blind, Jacob and his mother Rebekah tricked Isaac into giving Jacob the special father's blessing that belonged to Esau. Jacob dressed up like his brother and lied to his father. When Esau found out, he was devastated and furious. Jacob had to run away to escape Esau's anger. Deception, even when it seems to work at first, always creates pain.

Even though Jacob and Rebekah used deception and Esau made a foolish trade, God's plan was not stopped. God had already told Rebekah before the twins were born that the older would serve the younger. God can work through our mistakes and even through our wrong choices to accomplish His purposes. That does not make wrong choices okay, but it does show us that God is bigger than our biggest failures.

1. Why was the birthright important?
2. What did Esau trade his birthright for?
3. How did Jacob trick his father Isaac?
4. How did Esau feel when he found out?
5. What does this story teach us about making choices?

Make two columns on paper. Title one Choices That Last and the other Choices That Feel Good Now. List things that fit in each column. Talk about why it is important to think before you make big choices.

Dear God, help me to think before I make choices. Help me not to trade important things for things that will not last. And thank You that even when I make mistakes, Your plan for my life is still bigger than my biggest mess-up. Amen.

Joseph was the eleventh of twelve brothers and his father Jacob loved him very much. Jacob gave Joseph a special coat with many colors. When Joseph's brothers saw that their father loved Joseph more than them, they became jealous and angry. They hated Joseph so much they could not even say a kind word to him. Joseph also had dreams that seemed to show his brothers bowing down to him, which made them even angrier.

One day Jacob sent Joseph to check on his brothers who were watching the sheep far away. When the brothers saw Joseph coming, they decided to hurt him. They grabbed him, took his special coat, threw him into a pit, and then sold him to merchants traveling to Egypt. Then they took his coat, dipped it in goat's blood, and brought it to their father, letting him think Joseph had been killed by a wild animal. It was a terrible and cruel thing to do.

Joseph ended up far from home in a strange country as a slave. But the Bible tells us that the Lord was with Joseph. Even though everything seemed to be going wrong, God had not forgotten Joseph. God had a plan that Joseph could not see yet. What his brothers meant for evil, God was already planning to use for good. Joseph's story is not over, and neither is yours when things go wrong.

1. Why were Joseph's brothers jealous of him?
2. What did the brothers do to Joseph?
3. How do you think Joseph felt when his brothers threw him in the pit?
4. What does the Bible say about God being with Joseph even in Egypt?
5. Can you think of a time when something bad happened but God brought something good out of it?

Draw Joseph's coat with many colors. On each colored stripe write something that is hard about your life right now. Then fold the drawing and write Genesis 50:20 on the outside as a reminder that God can turn every hard thing into something good.

Dear God, even when things go wrong and people are unfair to me, help me to remember that You are still with me and that You have a plan. Thank You that nothing is wasted in Your hands. Amen.

Many years had passed. Joseph was now the most powerful man in Egypt after Pharaoh. There was a famine in the land, and people came from everywhere to buy food. Joseph's brothers came to Egypt to buy grain. They did not recognize Joseph, but Joseph recognized them. Joseph tested his brothers to see if they had changed. When he saw that they had, and when he saw how much they had changed, he could not hold back any longer.

Joseph cleared the room of all his Egyptian servants and then cried so loudly that everyone in the palace could hear him. He told his brothers who he was. He said Do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here. He told them that it was God who had sent him ahead of them to save lives. He did not see his suffering as just his brothers' fault. He saw God's hand in all of it.

Joseph did not just forgive his brothers. He invited their entire family to come and live in Egypt where he would take care of them. After their father Jacob died, the brothers were afraid Joseph would finally take revenge. But Joseph said the words that define the whole story: You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good. Joseph wept again and told them not to be afraid. He promised to take care of them and their children. That is what complete forgiveness looks like.

1. Why do you think Joseph cried when he revealed himself to his brothers?
2. What did Joseph say about why he thought God allowed him to go through suffering?
3. How did Joseph treat his brothers even though they had hurt him terribly?
4. Why is forgiveness so hard sometimes?
5. Is there someone you need to forgive? What would that look like?

On a piece of paper write the name of someone who has hurt you (you do not have to show anyone). Then write the word FORGIVEN over the top. Pray and ask God to help you forgive that person, knowing that God has forgiven you for much more.

Dear God, help me to forgive others the way Joseph forgave his brothers and the way You have forgiven me. When it is really hard, remind me how much I have been forgiven, and give me the strength to let go. Amen.

The Israelites had been slaves in Egypt for a long time. There were so many of them that the Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, became afraid they might rebel. He made the Israelites work harder and harder. And then he made a terrible law: every baby boy born to an Israelite family had to be thrown into the Nile River. When Moses was born, his mother could see that he was a special child, and she hid him for three months.

When Moses was too big to hide any longer, his mother made a waterproof basket and gently placed Moses inside it. She put the basket among the reeds at the edge of the river. Moses's sister Miriam watched from a distance to see what would happen. God had a plan already in motion. Pharaoh's own daughter came down to the river and found the basket. When she opened it and saw the baby crying, she felt sorry for him and decided to take him as her son.

Miriam stepped forward and asked if she should find an Israelite woman to nurse the baby. Pharaoh's daughter said yes, and Miriam ran to get her own mother. Moses's mother got to raise her own son and even got paid to do it by Pharaoh's daughter. When Moses was older, he went to live in the palace and was raised as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. The very king who wanted to destroy Moses ended up raising him. God's plans are always better than we can imagine.

1. Why was Pharaoh afraid of the Israelites?
2. What did Moses's mother do to try to keep him safe?
3. Who found the baby Moses?
4. How did God provide for Moses in a surprising way?
5. What does this story show us about God watching over His people?

Draw a river with a basket floating among reeds. Inside the basket draw baby Moses. Around the picture write ways that God has protected or provided for you or your family. Thank God for each one.

Dear God, just like You saw the Israelites when they were in trouble, You also see me. Thank You for watching over me and for always having a plan even when things seem really scary. Help me to trust You. Amen.

Moses was taking care of his father-in-law's sheep when he noticed something strange on a nearby mountain. A bush was on fire, but it was not burning up. He decided to go take a closer look. When he got near the bush, God called his name from inside the fire: Moses, Moses. God told Moses to take off his sandals because the ground he was standing on was holy. Moses was scared and hid his face.

God told Moses that He had seen the suffering of His people in Egypt and had heard their cries. He was ready to rescue them and bring them to a good land. And He wanted Moses to go to Pharaoh and lead the people out of Egypt. Moses immediately said he was not the right person for the job. But God said He would be with Moses, and that was more than enough.

Moses asked God what to say when people asked who had sent him. God gave Moses the most important answer in the Bible: I AM WHO I AM. God's name, Yahweh, means I am. It means He has always existed, He exists right now, and He will always exist. Nothing created God and nothing can destroy Him. When you feel like the job is too big, remember that the God who called you is the same God who has always been and always will be.

1. What was special about the burning bush?
2. What did Moses say when God called him to lead Israel?
3. What did God say would go with Moses to make him able to do the job?
4. What does God's name I AM mean?
5. Has God ever asked you to do something that felt too big? What happened?

Draw a burning bush. On the flames write things that feel too big or too hard for you. Then on a scroll beside the bush write I AM WHO I AM and list three things you know about God that mean He is big enough for every one of those things.

Dear God, I am glad that You call ordinary people and then go with them. When I feel like I am not good enough or brave enough, remind me that You are the great I AM and that You promised to be with me. Amen.

God told Moses to go to Pharaoh and ask him to let the Israelites go. Pharaoh refused. He thought he was the most powerful ruler in the world and he worshipped Egyptian gods. So God sent ten plagues, each one showing that He was more powerful than Egypt's gods. The Nile turned to blood, frogs covered the land, there were gnats, then flies, then livestock died, then painful sores, then hail, then locusts, then darkness for three days. But Pharaoh kept saying no.

Each plague targeted something the Egyptians considered sacred or powerful. The Egyptians worshipped the Nile, so God turned it to blood. They considered frogs to be symbols of a goddess, so God sent millions of them. The sun was one of Egypt's most important gods, so God covered it with darkness for three days. God was not just making things uncomfortable. He was showing that the things Egypt trusted in and worshipped had no power compared to Him.

Throughout all the plagues, the Israelites in the land of Goshen were protected. The flies did not go there. Their livestock did not die. They did not experience the darkness. God was showing everyone that there is a difference between His people and those who do not follow Him. His care for His people was visible to the whole nation of Egypt. God's power was on display for everyone to see.

1. Why did God send the plagues?
2. What was special about the land of Goshen where the Israelites lived?
3. What were some of the plagues God sent?
4. What was God trying to show Pharaoh and Egypt through the plagues?
5. How does seeing God's power in this story help you trust Him more?

Draw a simple timeline with ten spaces. In each space draw a symbol for each of the ten plagues. Under the timeline write this: God is more powerful than anything. Share your timeline and tell the class which plague you think would have been hardest to experience.

Dear God, You showed Egypt and the whole world that You are the most powerful. Help me to remember that the same God who sent ten plagues to rescue His people is the same God who watches over me. I do not need to be afraid. Amen.

God told each Israelite family to take a perfect lamb without any spots or blemishes and to sacrifice it. They were to put the blood of the lamb on the doorposts of their houses. That night God would pass through Egypt and the firstborn in every house would die. But wherever He saw the blood on the doorframe, He would pass over that house and everyone inside would be safe.

The Israelites obeyed God's instructions. They ate the lamb with unleavened bread in a hurry, with their sandals on and their walking sticks in hand, ready to leave. At midnight God passed through Egypt. Every firstborn in Egypt died, including Pharaoh's son. But in all the houses where the blood was on the doorpost, everyone was safe. Pharaoh finally told Moses to take the Israelites and leave.

God told Israel to celebrate Passover every year so they would never forget what He had done. This celebration pointed forward to something even greater. The Bible says Jesus is our Passover lamb. Just like the lamb's blood protected the Israelites, Jesus's blood protects us from the punishment for our sins. When we trust in Jesus, God sees His blood and we are saved.

1. What did God tell the Israelites to put on their doorposts?
2. What happened in the houses without the blood?
3. What happened in the houses with the blood?
4. Who does the Passover lamb point to?
5. What does it mean that Jesus is our Passover lamb?

Draw a door with a red mark on the doorposts. Inside the door write the names of people in your family. Then draw a cross next to the door and write Jesus is our Passover Lamb. Thank God for providing a way to be saved.

Dear God, thank You for providing the Passover lamb to save Israel and for sending Jesus as our Passover Lamb to save us. I trust in the blood of Jesus to cover my sins and keep me safe in You. Amen.

The Israelites had finally left Egypt and were on their way to the promised land. But Pharaoh changed his mind and sent his whole army to bring them back. When the Israelites looked behind them they saw hundreds of chariots coming. When they looked in front of them they saw the Red Sea. They were terrified and cried out to God. Some of them even wished they had stayed as slaves in Egypt rather than die in the desert.

Moses told the people not to be afraid. He said God would fight for them and all they had to do was be still and watch. God told Moses to stretch his staff over the sea. God sent a strong east wind that blew all night. By morning the sea had parted and there were two walls of water on either side with dry ground in the middle. The Israelites walked through on dry ground.

When the Egyptian army tried to follow them through the parted sea, their chariot wheels got stuck. Then God told Moses to stretch his hand over the water again and the walls of water came crashing back. The Egyptian army was gone. The Israelites were safe on the other side and they broke out in singing and praise to God. When God makes a way, it is a way worth celebrating.

1. Why were the Israelites afraid at the Red Sea?
2. What did Moses tell the people to do?
3. How did God make a way through the sea?
4. What happened to the Egyptian army?
5. Can you think of a time when something seemed impossible but God made a way?

Draw the Red Sea parted with walls of water on both sides and Israelites walking through on dry ground. At the top write The Lord Will Fight For You. On the dry path write one situation in your life that feels impossible right now and trust God to make a way.

Dear God, when I feel trapped with no way out, help me to be still and trust that You are fighting for me. You parted the Red Sea and You can make a way in my impossible situation too. Thank You. Amen.

After crossing the Red Sea, the Israelites traveled to a mountain called Sinai. God came down on the mountain with thunder and lightning and fire and a thick cloud. It was a terrifying and awesome sight. God had rescued His people from Egypt and now He was giving them a way to live that would keep them close to Him and help them treat each other well.

The first four commandments are about loving God: have no other gods, do not make idols, do not misuse God's name, and keep the Sabbath rest. The last six are about loving people: honor your parents, do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not lie, and do not want what belongs to someone else. Jesus later said that all the commands can be summed up in love God and love your neighbor.

Some people think rules are bad. But a loving parent gives rules to keep children safe and happy. God gave the Ten Commandments because He loved Israel and wanted them to thrive. When we follow God's commands it goes well with us. When we ignore them we get hurt. The commands are not a cage. They are a guide to the best life possible.

1. Why was Sinai so scary when God came down on it?
2. What do the first four commandments teach us about?
3. What do the last six commandments teach us about?
4. How did Jesus summarize all the commandments?
5. Why do you think God gave people rules?

Make two columns on paper. Title the first Love God and the second Love Others. Write the ten commandments and put each one in the right column. Decorate and take it home as a reminder.

Dear God, thank You for giving us commands that show us how to love You and love other people well. Help me to follow Your rules not because I have to but because I love You and because following them helps me live the best life. Amen.

Moses had gone up the mountain to receive God's instructions. The people got impatient waiting for him to come back. They went to Aaron, Moses's brother, and demanded he make them a god they could see. Aaron collected their gold earrings and made a golden calf statue. The people said this was the god who had brought them out of Egypt. They bowed down to it and celebrated. All of this happened while Moses was receiving the Ten Commandments right above them.

God told Moses what was happening and Moses hurried down the mountain carrying two stone tablets with the commandments on them. When he got close enough to see the calf and the people dancing around it, he was so upset that he threw the stone tablets down and they broke. He burned the golden calf and made the people drink the water mixed with its dust. It was a very bad day for Israel.

Moses went back up the mountain and prayed for the people. He asked God not to destroy them even though they deserved it. God heard Moses's prayer and showed mercy. He remained their God even though they had broken their promise so quickly. God's mercy is greater than our worst failures. That does not mean there are no consequences for sin, but it does mean that when we turn back to God, He is always willing to forgive.

1. Why did the people make the golden calf?
2. How do you think God felt when the people worshipped the calf?
3. What did Moses do when he came down the mountain?
4. What did Moses do after he saw the calf?
5. What is an idol? Can idols be things other than statues?

Think of some things people put before God today (like phones, games, or popularity). Draw some of them. Then draw a cross in the center and write Only God at the top. Ask God to help you keep Him first.

Dear God, help me not to make idols out of things in my life. Help me to keep You first before everything else. Thank You that even when I mess up and forget You, Your mercy is always there when I come back. Amen.

After Moses died, God chose Joshua to lead Israel into the promised land. God told Joshua three times to be strong and courageous. That was because the job ahead was enormous and the enemies were scary. But God promised Joshua something better than a big army: He promised to be with Joshua everywhere he went. No enemy can stand against the living God.

The first city in the promised land was Jericho, and it had massive, thick walls. God told Joshua to have the army march around the city once a day for six days. On the seventh day they were to march around it seven times while the priests blew trumpets. At the end of the seventh lap, the people were to shout as loud as they could. That was the entire plan. No battering rams. No ladders. Just marching, trumpets, and a shout.

Joshua and the people did exactly what God said. On the seventh day, after the seventh march, the priests blew the trumpets and all the people shouted. The massive walls of Jericho collapsed. Israel took the city. God won the battle His way, not their way. When we obey God even when His instructions seem strange, He shows His power in ways we could never accomplish on our own.

1. What did God tell Joshua three times before he started his work?
2. What were God's instructions for taking Jericho?
3. Why do you think God's plan involved marching and shouting instead of weapons?
4. What happened when Israel obeyed?
5. Has God ever asked you to do something that seemed strange but turned out right?

Make a paper trumpet. Then discuss: What is something God is asking you to do that requires courage or seems unusual? How can you be strong and courageous this week?

Dear God, thank You for the promise that You are with me wherever I go. Help me to be strong and courageous and to obey You even when Your instructions seem strange or when the walls in front of me look too big to fall. Amen.

The Midianites had been raiding Israel for years, stealing their crops and animals. The Israelites were hiding in caves out of fear. An angel appeared to Gideon while he was secretly threshing wheat in a winepress so the enemy could not find him. The angel called him a mighty warrior. Gideon could not believe it. He told God he was from the weakest clan and was the least in his family. But God said He would be with him and that was enough.

Gideon gathered an army of thirty-two thousand soldiers. God said the army was too big. If Israel won with that many soldiers, they would think they had done it themselves. God had them all go to a stream to drink and kept only the three hundred who drank from their hands while keeping watch. Three hundred soldiers against an entire army. That was the plan. Three hundred jars, three hundred torches, three hundred trumpets, and God.

In the middle of the night Gideon's three hundred men surrounded the enemy camp. They broke their jars, held up their torches, blew their trumpets, and shouted for the Lord and for Gideon. The enemies panicked and ran, fighting each other in confusion. Israel won without a real battle. God made sure the victory was so impossible that everyone would know He had done it. When we feel weakest, God is most able to show His strength through us.

1. How did Gideon describe himself when God called him?
2. Why did God reduce the army from thirty-two thousand to three hundred?
3. What was the plan Gideon used to defeat the enemy?
4. Who deserved the credit for the victory?
5. How can God use your weaknesses?

Draw a torch, a jar, and a trumpet. These were the only weapons Gideon's army used. Beside each one write a weakness you have. Then write: God's strength is made perfect in weakness.

Dear God, I am not the strongest or the smartest or the most important. But You used Gideon when he felt the same way. Help me to trust that You can work through my weakness and that Your glory shines brightest when I know I cannot do it alone. Amen.

Before Samson was born, an angel told his mother that he would be set apart for God and would begin to rescue Israel from their enemies. He had to follow certain rules, including never cutting his hair, as a sign that he belonged to God. Samson grew up and became incredibly strong. He killed a lion with his bare hands and defeated a thousand enemies with only a jawbone. But he was supposed to use that strength for Israel, not just for himself.

Samson's biggest weakness was not his enemies. It was making choices based on feelings instead of wisdom. He fell in love with a woman named Delilah who was paid by the Philistines to find out the secret of his strength. She pestered him every day until he finally told her. She cut his hair while he slept and his strength was gone. The Philistines captured him, blinded him, and put him in prison.

In prison, Samson's hair began to grow back. The Philistines brought him out to make fun of him at a big celebration. Samson was placed between two pillars of the building. He prayed to God for strength one more time and pushed the pillars apart. The whole building fell and Samson died along with more enemies than he had defeated in his whole life. Even at the end, God heard Samson's prayer.

1. What special gift did God give Samson?
2. What was Samson supposed to use his strength for?
3. What was Samson's weakness?
4. What happened when Delilah cut his hair?
5. What does Samson's story teach us about gifts and responsibility?

Write the word GIFTS in large letters. Inside each letter write a talent or ability you have. Then below the letters write: I will use my gifts for God and others, not just for myself.

Dear God, thank You for the gifts You have given me. Help me to use them to serve others and honor You instead of just to make myself look good. And thank You that even when I mess up, Your grace is still available. Amen.

Naomi and her family had left Israel because of a famine and gone to live in Moab. Her sons married women from Moab, one named Orpah and one named Ruth. Then Naomi's husband and both sons died. Naomi decided to go back to Israel and told her daughters-in-law to go back to their own families. Orpah said goodbye and left. But Ruth refused to leave. She said where you go I will go. She chose to stay with Naomi even though it cost her everything familiar.

When they arrived in Israel it was harvest time. Ruth went to the fields to pick up grain that the workers had left behind, a custom called gleaning that helped poor people. She happened to end up in the fields of a man named Boaz who was a relative of Naomi's family. Boaz noticed Ruth and was kind to her. He told his workers to leave extra grain for her. He was moved by how she had treated Naomi.

In those days, a close male relative had the responsibility to marry a widow from the family to carry on the family name and take care of her. Boaz was willing to be this redeemer for Ruth. He married her and they had a son named Obed, who became the grandfather of King David, who was in the family line of Jesus. Ruth, a Moabite outsider, became part of the greatest family story in history because of her loyal love.

1. Why did Ruth refuse to leave Naomi?
2. What did Ruth do to help provide food for herself and Naomi?
3. Who was Boaz and how did he show kindness to Ruth?
4. What is a redeemer?
5. How does Ruth's loyalty remind you of how God is loyal to us?

Write Ruth 1:16 in large letters and decorate around it. Then write the name of someone in your life who has been loyal to you like Ruth was to Naomi. Thank God for that person.

Dear God, thank You for Ruth's example of loyal love. Thank You that You are loyal to us even when we are not always loyal to You. Help me to be the kind of friend and family member who stays even when it is hard. Amen.

Samuel was a young boy living in the Tabernacle helping the priest Eli. One night Samuel heard his name called and ran to Eli thinking the old priest needed him. But Eli said he had not called and told Samuel to go back to sleep. This happened three times. On the third time, Eli realized it must be God calling Samuel. He told Samuel to go back to his bed and if the voice called again to say speak Lord for your servant is listening.

God called again and Samuel did exactly what Eli had told him. God spoke to Samuel and gave him an important message about Eli's family. It was a hard message and Samuel was afraid to tell Eli in the morning. But Eli asked him to tell him everything God had said and Samuel did, without leaving anything out. Eli accepted the message with humility. Samuel's willingness to listen and then to be honest showed great courage for such a young person.

From that night on, God continued to speak to Samuel and Samuel's words always came true. He became one of the greatest prophets in Israel's history. But it all started with a boy who said speak Lord for your servant is listening. God is still speaking today through His Word, through prayer, through other believers, and through the Holy Spirit. We need to have the same listening heart as Samuel.

1. How many times did God call Samuel before Samuel understood it was God?
2. What did Eli tell Samuel to say if the voice came again?
3. What did Samuel say when God called the fourth time?
4. How did Samuel show courage after hearing God's message?
5. What are ways God speaks to us today?

Draw a set of ears in the middle of the page. Around the ears draw or write the ways God speaks to us today: the Bible, prayer, other Christians, nature, a quiet feeling. Under everything write Speak Lord your servant is listening.

Dear God, I want to be like Samuel and have a heart that is listening to You. Help me to recognize Your voice when You speak and to be brave enough to obey even when what You say is hard. Speak Lord, I am listening. Amen.

Goliath was a champion soldier of the Philistines. He was over nine feet tall, wore heavy bronze armor, and had a massive spear. Every day for forty days he came out and challenged Israel to send someone to fight him. Whoever won would decide the battle for both sides. The problem was that every single soldier in Israel's army was terrified of Goliath and nobody was willing to fight him. That is when David showed up to bring food to his brothers.

David was just a shepherd boy, too young to be a soldier. But when he heard Goliath insulting Israel and mocking God, he got angry. He told King Saul that he wanted to fight the giant. Saul thought he was crazy. David told him that he had killed lions and bears while protecting his sheep and that God would help him again. He refused Saul's armor because he was not used to it. He went to a stream and picked up five smooth stones.

David ran toward Goliath. Goliath laughed at this little shepherd boy. David shouted that he came in the name of the Lord and that the battle belonged to God, not to swords and spears. He put a stone in his sling and let it fly. The stone hit Goliath in the forehead and the giant fell face down. The entire Philistine army turned and ran. One boy, five stones, one God, one victory.

1. How big was Goliath and why was everyone afraid of him?
2. Why was David not afraid of Goliath?
3. What weapons did David use?
4. What did David shout to Goliath before the battle?
5. What giant are you facing in your life that you can trust God to help you with?

Find five smooth pebbles or draw five stones. On each stone write something that feels like a giant to you. Then write on each stone The battle is the Lord's. Remember that God is bigger than every one of your giants.

Dear God, when I face things that feel too big for me, help me to remember that the battle is Yours. You helped David defeat a giant with a stone and a sling. I trust You to help me face the giants in my life. Amen.

Jonathan was the son of King Saul and was in line to become the next king. David was a shepherd boy who had just killed Goliath. You would not expect these two to become the closest of friends. But when Jonathan met David after the battle, something happened in his heart. The Bible says their souls were knit together. Jonathan took off his royal robe, his armor, his sword, his bow, and his belt and gave them all to David. It was a symbol of giving David his own place.

Jonathan's father King Saul became jealous of David and wanted to kill him. Jonathan was caught in the middle. He could have chosen his father's side and secured his own future as king. Instead he chose to protect David. He warned David of his father's plans and helped him escape. He made a covenant of friendship with David that would last even after they were separated. True friendship sometimes means choosing someone else's good over your own advantage.

Jonathan died in battle alongside his father Saul. Years later when David became king, he asked if there was anyone left from Jonathan's family that he could show kindness to. He found Jonathan's son Mephibosheth, who could not walk, and brought him to live at the palace and eat at the king's table every day for the rest of his life. David honored his friendship with Jonathan long after Jonathan was gone. That is what covenant love looks like.

1. What did Jonathan give David as a symbol of their friendship?
2. How did Jonathan show loyalty to David even when it was risky?
3. Why was Jonathan's choice to protect David so costly?
4. What did David do for Jonathan's son Mephibosheth?
5. What makes someone a true friend?

Write the name of your best friend at the top of a piece of paper. Write three ways you can be a better friend to them this week. Then write one thing you appreciate about that friendship.

Dear God, thank You for the gift of friendship. Help me to be a loyal friend like Jonathan, someone who chooses what is right even when it is costly. And thank You that You are the greatest friend of all, one who laid down His life for us. Amen.

Solomon had just become king of Israel after his father David died. It was a big job and Solomon knew it. God appeared to him in a dream and said ask for whatever you want. Solomon could have asked for long life, or riches, or victory over his enemies. Instead he said he was like a little child who did not know how to lead such a great nation. He asked for a discerning heart to know the difference between right and wrong so he could govern God's people well.

God was delighted with Solomon's request. He told Solomon that since he had asked for wisdom instead of personal gain, He would give him not only wisdom but also riches and honor more than any king before or after him. If Solomon also obeyed God's commands, God would give him a long life too. Solomon woke up from the dream and went to worship God. He knew he had received something more valuable than anything else he could have asked for.

Solomon's wisdom was quickly put to the test. Two women came to him claiming the same baby. Solomon said they should cut the baby in half and give each woman a piece. The real mother immediately said no, give the baby to the other woman. The other woman said yes, divide it. Solomon knew the real mother was the one who would rather give up her child than see it harmed. All of Israel heard about this and they feared and respected Solomon because they saw God's wisdom in him.

1. What did God offer Solomon?
2. What did Solomon ask for and why?
3. Why was God pleased with Solomon's request?
4. What else did God give Solomon besides wisdom?
5. What is wisdom and why is it more valuable than money or fame?

Draw a treasure chest. Inside the chest write things that the world says are valuable: money, fame, popularity. Then draw a second, bigger treasure chest and label it Wisdom from God. Inside write things wisdom gives you: good decisions, right relationships, peace, God's blessing.

Dear God, like Solomon I want to ask for wisdom. Help me to make good choices and to know the difference between right and wrong. Thank You for promising to give wisdom to anyone who asks. I am asking. Amen.

Elijah challenged the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal to a contest. They would each build an altar and put a bull on it. They would both call on their god to send fire to light the sacrifice. Whoever answered by fire, that was the real God. The prophets of Baal went first. They prayed, they danced, they shouted, they even hurt themselves trying to get Baal to respond. Nothing happened. All day long, nothing. Because Baal is not real.

When it was Elijah's turn, he did something that must have seemed crazy. He had the altar soaked with water three times until it was completely waterlogged and the trench around it was full. He was making it harder, not easier, because he wanted everyone to know that what was about to happen could only be from God. Then Elijah prayed a simple prayer asking God to show the people that He was the real God.

God sent fire that burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, the dust, and all the water in the trench. The people fell on their faces and shouted the Lord He is God, the Lord He is God. Sometimes God shows His power in ways that are unmistakable. And when He does, the only right response is worship.

1. Who did Elijah challenge and to what?
2. What did the prophets of Baal do all day?
3. Why did Elijah soak the altar with water?
4. What happened when Elijah prayed?
5. How did the people respond when they saw God's fire?

Draw an altar on a mountain. On one side draw the quiet, unanswered altar of Baal. On the other draw fire coming down from heaven on Elijah's altar. Under the scene write The Lord He is God.

Dear God, You are the only real God. Help me never to trust in false things the way Israel trusted in Baal. When I pray, I know You hear me because You are alive and You are powerful. Thank You for answering prayer. Amen.

The widow told Elisha everything. She had nothing in her house except a small jar of olive oil. Elisha told her to go to her neighbors and borrow as many empty jars as she could find. She was to borrow not just a few but as many as possible. This was a strange instruction, but she obeyed and collected jars from all her neighbors.

Elisha told her to go inside, shut the door, and start pouring oil from her small jar into the empty jars. The oil kept flowing. Jar after jar after jar was filled with oil. The oil only stopped when the last jar was full. There were no more jars left to fill. The widow ran to tell Elisha and he told her to sell the oil, pay her debt, and live on the rest.

The miracle of the oil teaches us something beautiful: God often meets our needs in proportion to our faith and our preparation. The widow gathered many jars and God filled every single one. If she had gathered only two, the oil would have stopped at two. God provided everything she needed and then some. He does the same for us when we bring what little we have and trust Him with it.

1. What was the widow's problem?
2. What strange thing did Elisha tell her to do?
3. What happened when she poured the oil?
4. When did the oil stop flowing?
5. What does this story tell us about God's provision?

Draw as many jars as you can on a piece of paper. In each jar write a need that you or someone you know has. Then color the jars to show they are full, trusting that God is able to fill each need.

Dear God, thank You that You see our needs and that You can provide in amazing ways. Help me to trust You with the little I have and to watch You multiply it beyond what I expected. Amen.

God told Jonah to go to a city called Nineveh and warn the people there that God was not happy with how they were living. Jonah did not want to go. The people of Nineveh were enemies of Israel and Jonah did not want them to be forgiven. So he got on a boat going the opposite direction. A huge storm hit the sea and the sailors were terrified. Jonah confessed he was running from God and said to throw him overboard to save the ship.

When the sailors threw Jonah into the sea, the storm stopped immediately. God had sent a big fish to swallow Jonah. Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights. In that dark, smelly place, Jonah prayed. He thanked God for saving his life and promised to obey. The fish spit Jonah out onto dry land. God told Jonah again to go to Nineveh, and this time Jonah went.

Jonah preached to Nineveh and the whole city repented and turned to God. God forgave them. But Jonah was angry about it. He did not think his enemies deserved God's love. God gently showed Jonah that He cared about all people, including the people of Nineveh. The book of Jonah ends with God asking Jonah if He should not care about a city of one hundred and twenty thousand people. God's love is bigger than we think.

1. Why did Jonah not want to go to Nineveh?
2. What happened on the boat?
3. How long was Jonah inside the fish?
4. What did the people of Nineveh do when Jonah preached?
5. What does this story teach us about God's love?

Draw Jonah inside the big fish. Around the fish write things we sometimes run from or try to avoid. Then draw an arrow pointing from the fish to Nineveh showing that God always brings us back to where He wants us to be.

Dear God, thank You that You do not give up on me when I run or try to hide. Help me to obey You the first time and to trust that Your plans are always better than mine. And help me to remember that You love everyone, even people I find hard to love. Amen.

Daniel was one of the top officials in the kingdom of Persia and he was so good at his job that the king wanted to put him in charge of everything. The other officials were jealous and looked for something wrong with Daniel. They could not find anything because Daniel was completely trustworthy. So they invented a law making it illegal to pray to anyone except the king for thirty days. Daniel kept praying to God three times a day as always.

The officials caught Daniel praying and reported him to the king. The king was upset because he liked Daniel but the law could not be changed. Daniel was thrown into the den of lions and a stone was rolled over the entrance. The king spent the night fasting and could not sleep. Early in the morning he ran to the den and called out asking if Daniel's God had saved him. Daniel answered that God had sent an angel who shut the lions' mouths.

Daniel was taken out of the den without a scratch. The officials who had set the trap were thrown in instead. The king issued a decree that everyone in the kingdom must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. Daniel's faithfulness in a dangerous moment resulted in an entire empire hearing about his God. When we stay faithful to God even when it is hard, God is able to use our faithfulness in ways we cannot predict.

1. Why did the officials want to trap Daniel?
2. What did Daniel do when the law was passed against praying?
3. What happened to Daniel in the lion's den?
4. What did the king do the next morning?
5. What can we learn from Daniel about praying even when it is difficult?

Draw Daniel kneeling in prayer with a window behind him. Around the drawing write situations where it might be hard to pray or stand up for your faith. Then write Daniel 6:22 around the edge as a reminder that God protects those who stay faithful.

Dear God, help me to be faithful like Daniel even when following You is unpopular or gets me in trouble. I know You can shut the mouths of any lions in my life. Help me to keep praying no matter what. Amen.

King Nebuchadnezzar built a huge golden statue ninety feet tall. He ordered everyone in his kingdom to bow down to it whenever the music played. Anyone who refused would be thrown into a blazing furnace. When the music played, everyone bowed except for three men: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Officials reported them to the king who had them brought before him, furious.

The king gave them one more chance. They refused. They said their God could save them from the furnace, but even if He did not, they would not bow. This is one of the most powerful statements of faith in the Bible. They were not bargaining with God or claiming He would definitely rescue them. They were saying that their faithfulness was not conditional on the outcome. They served God whether He rescued them or not.

They were thrown into a furnace so hot it killed the soldiers who threw them in. But the king looked in and saw four men walking around, unharmed, and the fourth looked like a son of the gods. He called them out and not a hair on their heads was singed. No smell of smoke. They came out completely untouched. God had been in the fire with them the whole time.

1. What did King Nebuchadnezzar demand everyone do?
2. Why did the three men refuse to bow?
3. What was remarkable about what they said before they were thrown in?
4. Who was the fourth person in the fire?
5. What does this story tell us about God being with us in hard times?

Draw the three men in the fire with a fourth glowing figure beside them. Write their famous statement: Even if He does not. Talk about what it means to trust God even when we do not know what He will do.

Dear God, I want to be as brave as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Help me to stand for what is right even when it is scary, knowing that You are always with me in the fire. Even if things do not go the way I hope, I will still trust You. Amen.

Esther was raised by her older cousin Mordecai after her parents died. She was chosen to become queen of Persia without revealing she was Jewish. An official named Haman hated the Jewish people and convinced the king to issue a law allowing all Jewish people to be killed. Mordecai found out and told Esther she needed to do something. Going to the king without being summoned was illegal and punishable by death.

Mordecai told Esther that maybe she had become queen for exactly this purpose. He said that if she stayed silent, help would come from somewhere else, but she and her family might be destroyed. Then he said the famous words: who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Esther decided to go to the king. She said that if she died, she died. She asked all the Jewish people to fast for three days before she went.

When Esther went to the king, he held out his scepter to her, meaning she was welcome. She was brave, she was wise, and she found the right moment to reveal the danger to her people. The king sided with Esther and Mordecai. Haman's plot was reversed and the Jewish people were saved. Esther's courage in using the position God had given her changed the course of history for her entire people.

1. Why was going to the king without being summoned dangerous for Esther?
2. What did Mordecai mean when he said Esther had come for such a time as this?
3. What did Esther ask her people to do before she went to the king?
4. What happened when she went to the king?
5. What position has God placed you in where you might have an important part to play?

Draw a crown on a piece of paper. Inside the crown write your name and then below write: placed here for such a time as this. Around the outside write the roles and places God has put you in: family, school, team, neighborhood.

Dear God, help me to see that You have placed me in my family, school, and community for a reason. Give me the courage like Esther to use the position You have given me to do what is right, even when it is scary. Amen.

Nehemiah was serving as the king's cupbearer when he heard that Jerusalem's walls were in ruins. He sat down and cried. Then he fasted and prayed for days. His prayer was honest: he admitted Israel had sinned, he reminded God of His promises, and he asked God to give him success. He did not just complain about the problem. He brought it to God and then asked for a way to help.

One day the king noticed that Nehemiah looked sad and asked what was wrong. This was actually dangerous because servants were supposed to be cheerful before the king. Nehemiah prayed quickly before answering, asking God to help him say the right words. Then he told the king what had happened to Jerusalem and asked if he could go and rebuild it. The king said yes and even gave him letters, materials, and protection for the journey. God had answered his prayer.

Nehemiah organized the people and they began rebuilding the wall. Their enemies mocked them and threatened them. Nehemiah set up guards to watch while others worked. Some people even said the work was impossible. But Nehemiah kept praying and kept working. In fifty-two days the entire wall was finished. Everyone around them could see that the work had been done with God's help.

1. What did Nehemiah do when he heard the bad news about Jerusalem?
2. What brave request did Nehemiah make of the king?
3. What did Nehemiah do right before he answered the king?
4. What happened when enemies tried to stop the work?
5. What can we learn from Nehemiah about how to face a big job?

Draw a wall with stones. On each stone write a step Nehemiah took: pray, ask, plan, work, face opposition, keep going, finish. Then write one big job in your life and plan the first step.

Dear God, help me to be like Nehemiah: to pray before I act, to ask for help when I need it, and to keep going even when things are hard. Thank You that You can help us finish what You have started. Amen.

Isaiah saw the Lord sitting on a high and exalted throne. Above the throne were seraphim, angels with six wings, covering their faces and feet with four of their wings and flying with two. They called to each other saying Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts and the whole earth is full of His glory. The doorposts shook and the Temple filled with smoke. It was overwhelming and terrifying and magnificent all at once.

Isaiah's first reaction to seeing God's holiness was not excitement. It was terror. He said woe is me for I am ruined because I have unclean lips and live among a people with unclean lips. Seeing how completely holy and pure God is made Isaiah immediately aware of how far short he fell. One of the seraphim flew to him with a burning coal from the altar and touched his lips saying his guilt was taken away and his sin forgiven.

After his guilt was removed, Isaiah heard God asking who will go for us. Isaiah immediately said here am I, send me. The experience of God's holiness, followed by the experience of God's grace, produced a willingness to be sent anywhere God wanted to send him. The proper response to a true encounter with God is both deep humility and ready availability. Isaiah became one of the greatest prophets in history because of what happened in that moment.

1. What did Isaiah see in his vision?
2. What were the seraphim saying to each other?
3. Why did Isaiah say woe is me when he saw God?
4. What did the seraph do to Isaiah's lips?
5. What did Isaiah say when God asked who would go?

Draw a throne with light coming from it. Around the throne draw seraphim with six wings. Below draw Isaiah kneeling. Write Holy Holy Holy in large letters at the top and Here Am I at the bottom. Talk about what it means to be ready for God to send you somewhere.

Dear God, You are holy and there is nothing else like You. When I see how good and pure You are, I know I need Your forgiveness. Thank You for cleaning me so I can serve You. Here am I, God. Send me wherever You need me to go. Amen.

Isaiah described a servant who would suffer in ways that seemed unfair. He would not be beautiful or impressive looking. People would look down on him. He would be a man of sorrows and familiar with grief. He would be rejected by the very people he came to help. None of this sounded like the conquering king most people expected. But Isaiah was describing exactly what would happen to Jesus seven hundred years later.

Isaiah wrote that this servant would carry our sorrows, be pierced for our sins, and crushed for our wrongdoing. The punishment that should have been ours would fall on him so that we could have peace. Isaiah described it as God placing all of our sin on this one servant. This is exactly what the cross was: Jesus taking the punishment we deserved so we could go free. Like a sheep going quietly to the slaughter, he would not protest or defend himself.

When Jesus was crucified, He was pierced with nails and a spear. He was rejected by his own people. He was silent before his accusers. He died with criminals and was buried in a rich man's tomb. Every detail Isaiah wrote was fulfilled. This is one of the strongest proofs that Jesus truly was who He said He was: the promised Messiah that God had been planning to send from the very beginning.

1. When did Isaiah write this description of Jesus?
2. What did Isaiah say the servant would look like to people?
3. Why did the servant suffer according to Isaiah 53?
4. What happened to the punishment that we deserved?
5. How does this prophecy help you trust that the Bible is true?

Make two columns: Isaiah Said and Jesus Did. Fill in the column from Isaiah 53 with what Isaiah predicted. Then fill in the Jesus Did column with what actually happened. Talk about how precise the prophecy was.

Dear God, You planned to send Jesus from the very beginning. Thank You for keeping every promise. Thank You that Jesus took the punishment I deserved so I could be free. Help me never to take that gift for granted. Amen.

Caesar Augustus ordered a census and Joseph and Mary had to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem. When they arrived, Mary was about to have her baby and there was no room for them at the inn. They stayed in a place where animals were kept, and when Jesus was born, Mary wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, a feeding trough. The most important person who ever lived was welcomed into the world by farm animals.

Nearby, shepherds were watching their flocks at night. Shepherds were not considered important people in those days. An angel appeared to them and the sky filled with light. The shepherds were terrified. The angel said not to be afraid because a Savior had been born in the city of David. He told them they would find the baby wrapped in cloth and lying in a manger. Then the sky filled with a whole army of angels praising God.

The shepherds ran to find Jesus and found everything exactly as the angel had said. They told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said. The angel had said the baby was a Savior, which means Jesus came to rescue people. He was Christ, which means the anointed one, the long-promised Messiah. And he was Lord, which means he was God in human form. The most humble birth in history was actually the arrival of the King of the universe.

1. Where was Jesus born and why?
2. Where did Mary lay the baby Jesus?
3. Who did the angels appear to and why do you think God chose shepherds?
4. What three names did the angel use for Jesus?
5. Why is Jesus's birth called the greatest event in history?

Draw the nativity scene. Include Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, the manger, animals, shepherds, and angels. In the sky write Today a Savior is born. Under the manger write the three names: Savior, Christ, Lord.

Dear Jesus, thank You for leaving the glory of heaven to be born in a stable so that You could save me. Thank You for coming for everyone, including the humble and the overlooked like the shepherds. I am so glad You came. Amen.

Wise men from the East saw a special star and knew it meant a great king had been born. They traveled a long way to Jerusalem asking where the king of the Jews had been born so they could worship him. This caused trouble because King Herod was the current king and did not want any competition. Herod secretly called the wise men and asked them to find the child and report back to him.

The star led the wise men to the house where Jesus and his family were staying. They fell down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasure boxes and gave him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Gold was a gift for a king. Frankincense was used by priests in worship. Myrrh was used in burial. The gifts, though given by foreigners, were perfectly chosen to describe who Jesus was.

The wise men being from another country and another religion was not a mistake. God arranged it that way. From the very beginning of Jesus's life, God was showing that this child was not just for one nation. He was the Savior of the whole world. The wise men who came seeking Jesus found him and worshipped him. Anyone who seeks Jesus with a sincere heart will find him too.

1. Where did the wise men come from?
2. How did they know where to find the king?
3. What gifts did they bring?
4. Why did they not go back and tell Herod?
5. What does the wise men's journey tell us about who Jesus came for?

Draw a star in the center of the paper with rays going out. On each ray write a different country or people group. Then write Jesus came for everyone around the edge of the page.

Dear Jesus, thank You that You came for everyone in the whole world, not just one group of people. Like the wise men, I want to seek You with my whole heart. You are worth any journey. Amen.

John the Baptist had been baptizing people in the Jordan River as a sign of their repentance and desire to follow God. When Jesus came to be baptized, John recognized who He was and said Jesus should be baptizing him, not the other way around. Jesus told John to allow it because it was the right thing to do to fulfill all righteousness. John agreed and baptized Jesus.

When Jesus came up out of the water, something incredible happened. The heavens opened and the Spirit of God descended on Him like a dove. Then a voice spoke from heaven saying this is my Son whom I love and with whom I am well pleased. All three persons of the Trinity were present in one moment: the Father's voice, the Son being baptized, and the Spirit descending.

Jesus's baptism marked the beginning of His public ministry. It was like a commissioning ceremony where God publicly declared who Jesus was before His work began. Baptism for us today is also a public declaration: we are saying that we have died to our old life, been buried with Christ, and raised with Him to new life. It is our way of saying to the world that we belong to Jesus.

1. Why did John not want to baptize Jesus at first?
2. What happened when Jesus came up from the water?
3. What did the voice from heaven say?
4. Which persons of the Trinity were present at Jesus's baptism?
5. What does baptism mean for followers of Jesus today?

Draw three circles connected to each other and label them Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then draw the baptism scene showing all three. Write the words from Matthew 3:17 across the bottom.

Dear God, thank You for showing us the Trinity at Jesus's baptism. Thank You that You declared Jesus to be Your beloved Son before His ministry began. Help me to take my own faith seriously and to follow Jesus fully. Amen.

After forty days of not eating, Jesus was very hungry. The devil came and offered three temptations. First he said if Jesus was the Son of God to turn stones into bread. Second he took Jesus to the top of the Temple and said to jump off so the angels would catch him. Third he showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and offered them in exchange for Jesus worshipping the devil. Three temptations targeting three real weaknesses: appetite, pride, and power.

Jesus answered every single temptation with Scripture. To the bread temptation: it is written, man does not live on bread alone. To the jumping temptation: it is also written, do not put the Lord your God to the test. To the kingdoms temptation: it is written, worship the Lord your God and serve only Him. Jesus did not debate the devil. He quoted Scripture. Three times the devil tried and three times Scripture was the answer.

After three failures, the devil left and angels came and took care of Jesus. The temptation accounts show us something important: Jesus was fully human and He was genuinely tempted. But He used the same tool we have access to, the Word of God, to overcome every temptation. When we memorize Scripture and use it when we are tempted, we are doing exactly what Jesus did.

1. How long had Jesus been fasting before the temptation?
2. What were the three things the devil tried to get Jesus to do?
3. How did Jesus answer each temptation?
4. What happened after Jesus resisted all three temptations?
5. What does this story teach us about how to handle temptation?

Write It Is Written at the top of a piece of paper. Then write three Bible verses that could help you resist three different temptations you face. Practice saying them out loud.

Dear Jesus, thank You for showing us how to fight temptation with the Word of God. Help me to memorize Scripture so I have it ready when I am tempted. And thank You that You understand what it is like to be tempted because You faced it too. Amen.

Jesus began by describing the people who are truly blessed. He did not say happy are the rich, the famous, or the powerful. He said blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who are persecuted. The people the world overlooks are the ones God considers most blessed. Jesus was turning the world's values completely upside down.

Jesus then said that He had not come to throw away the law but to fulfill it. He went deeper than the external rules. He said do not just avoid murder but deal with your anger. Do not just avoid adultery but deal with what you look at and think about. Do not just pray with big words in public but pray honestly in private. The law told Israel what not to do. Jesus described what kingdom people actually are on the inside.

Jesus ended the sermon with a story about two builders. One built his house on rock and one built on sand. When storms came the house on rock stood firm and the house on sand fell with a great crash. The rock was not just hearing Jesus's words. It was doing them. The sermon is not just information. It is an invitation to build your whole life on Jesus and His words.

1. Who did Jesus say was blessed according to the Beatitudes?
2. Why do you think the world would be surprised by Jesus's list of blessed people?
3. What is the difference between not committing murder and dealing with your anger?
4. What was the difference between the two builders?
5. What does it mean to build your life on the rock?

Draw two houses, one on rock and one on sand. On the rock write things that make a life strong: prayer, Scripture, obedience, love. On the sand write things that seem solid but are not: popularity, money, comfort. Add rain clouds and lightning above both.

Dear Jesus, help me not just to hear Your words but to do them. Help me to build my life on the rock of Your teaching. Change my heart from the inside out. Amen.

Jesus went to Simon Peter's house and found Simon's mother-in-law sick with a fever. Jesus went to her, took her hand, and helped her up. The fever left immediately and she began to serve them. News spread quickly and by evening the whole town had gathered at the door bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits. Jesus healed many of them.

A man with leprosy, a terrible skin disease that made him an outcast from society, came to Jesus and knelt before him. He said if Jesus was willing He could make him clean. Jesus was filled with compassion and reached out His hand and touched the man. Touching a leper was unthinkable in that culture. Jesus did it anyway. He said He was willing and told the man to be clean. The leprosy left immediately.

Jesus healed because He cared. He was moved with compassion. The word in Greek means His insides were stirred. He was not performing miracles to impress people. He was responding to real pain with real love. Jesus is the same today. He sees your pain, your fear, your sickness, and He is still moved with compassion. He may not always heal in the way we ask, but He always cares more than we know.

1. Who was the first person Jesus healed in this passage?
2. What was wrong with the man who came to Jesus in the road?
3. Why was touching a leper such a remarkable thing for Jesus to do?
4. What does the word compassion mean?
5. How does knowing Jesus is compassionate change how you pray?

Draw a hand reaching out. Inside the hand write the names of people you know who are sick or hurting. Pray for each one and remember that Jesus sees them and cares.

Dear Jesus, thank You that You are moved with compassion for people who are hurting. Please bring healing to the people I love who are sick. And help me to show compassion to people who are hurting around me. Amen.

A religious expert asked Jesus how to inherit eternal life. Jesus said to love God with all your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself. The man then asked who his neighbor was, probably hoping the definition would be small enough to make the command manageable. Jesus told a story. A man was robbed and beaten and left on the road half dead. A priest passed by on the other side. A Levite also passed by. Then a Samaritan came.

Samaritans and Jews despised each other. The Jewish man in the story would never have expected help from a Samaritan. But the Samaritan saw the wounded man and was moved with compassion. He bandaged his wounds, put him on his own donkey, brought him to an inn, paid for his care, and promised to pay any additional costs on his return. He did everything necessary to ensure this stranger's survival and recovery.

Jesus asked which of the three had been a neighbor to the wounded man. The answer was obvious: the one who had mercy on him. Then Jesus said go and do likewise. The question was not who qualifies as our neighbor. The question is whether we are willing to be a neighbor. The definition of neighbor turns out to be anyone who is in need in front of us, regardless of who they are or where they come from.

1. Why did the man ask who his neighbor was?
2. What did the priest and the Levite do when they saw the wounded man?
3. Why was it surprising that the Samaritan helped?
4. What did the Samaritan do for the wounded man?
5. What does Jesus mean by go and do likewise?

Draw the road with the wounded man, the priest and Levite walking past, and the Samaritan helping. Then write the names of three people around you who might need help this week. Circle one and decide on a specific action you will take.

Dear Jesus, help me to see the people around me who are hurting and to do something about it. Help me to be a good neighbor to everyone in need, not just to the people who are easy to love. Amen.

A young man asked his father to give him his share of the inheritance early. This was essentially saying I wish you were dead. The father gave it to him. The son went to a faraway country and wasted all the money on wild living. When a famine came he had nothing left and ended up feeding pigs, hungry enough to eat what the pigs were eating. He came to his senses and decided to go home and ask to be a servant.

When the son was still a long way off, his father saw him. That means the father was watching. He ran to his son, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. The son started his prepared speech but the father interrupted with joy. He called for the best robe, a ring, sandals, and a celebration because his son who was lost was found, who was dead was alive again.

The father's response shows us something true about God: He is always watching for us to come home, and when we do, He does not wait for us to arrive. He runs. He does not make us prove ourselves first. He celebrates our return before we have done anything to earn it. No matter what you have done or how far you have gone, God's response when you turn back is always the same: running, embrace, celebration.

1. What did the younger son ask his father for?
2. What happened to all the money?
3. What made the son decide to go home?
4. What did the father do when he saw his son coming?
5. What does this story tell us about how God responds when we turn back to Him?

Draw the father running down a road with arms wide open toward a small figure in the distance. Write Luke 15:20 along the road. Talk about a time you felt like the prodigal son and how it felt to know God would still welcome you back.

Dear God, thank You that You never stop watching for us to come home. When I have gone my own way and made a mess of things, help me to remember that You are running toward me even before I finish turning around. Thank You for Your welcome. Amen.

A huge crowd had followed Jesus because they had seen His miracles. Jesus asked Philip where they could buy bread for all these people. Philip quickly calculated: it would take more than half a year's wages to give everyone even a little. Andrew found a boy with five barley loaves and two fish and told Jesus, but what good is that for so many?

Jesus told everyone to sit down. There were about five thousand men. He took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and began distributing the bread. He did the same with the fish. Everyone ate as much as they wanted. When they were satisfied Jesus told His disciples to collect the leftover pieces so nothing would be wasted. They filled twelve baskets with the leftovers from five loaves and two fish.

The boy in the story is easy to miss but he is the key to the miracle. He offered what he had. It was not much. But when it was placed in Jesus's hands, it became more than enough. You may feel like your gifts, your resources, or your abilities are not enough to make a difference. Offer them to Jesus anyway. He is in the business of making more than enough out of not enough.

1. How many people were in the crowd?
2. What did the boy have?
3. What did Jesus do before distributing the food?
4. How much was left over after everyone had eaten?
5. What does this miracle teach us about bringing what we have to Jesus?

Draw five loaves and two fish. Then draw twelve baskets full beside them. Write: When I give Jesus what I have, He multiplies it. List three things you can offer to Jesus: your time, your talents, your resources.

Dear Jesus, here is what I have. It may not seem like much, but I give it to You. Thank You that You can take the little I have and use it in ways bigger than I can imagine. Amen.

After feeding five thousand people, Jesus sent His disciples across the lake while He went up a mountain alone to pray. Late at night the boat was far from shore, being battered by waves because the wind was against them. Jesus saw them from the mountain and came to them walking on the water. When the disciples saw Him they were terrified, thinking it was a ghost, and cried out in fear.

Jesus called to them that it was He and told them not to be afraid. Peter called back: Lord if it is you, tell me to come to you on the water. Jesus said come. Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he noticed the wind and the waves he was afraid and began to sink. He cried out Lord save me and immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him.

Jesus asked Peter why he doubted and said his faith was little. When they got into the boat the wind died down. The disciples worshipped Jesus saying truly He was the Son of God. The lesson is simple but takes a lifetime to learn: when your eyes are on Jesus you can do impossible things. When your eyes move to the storm you start to sink. The solution is always the same: keep looking at Jesus.

1. Where was Jesus when the disciples were in the storm?
2. What did the disciples think Jesus was when they saw Him on the water?
3. What happened when Peter kept his eyes on Jesus?
4. What happened when he looked at the waves instead?
5. What can you do when you feel afraid in a storm?

Draw a boat in stormy waves with the disciples inside. Draw Jesus walking on the water toward them. Draw Peter halfway between the boat and Jesus. Write Keep your eyes on Jesus beside the drawing.

Dear Jesus, when life feels like a storm, help me to keep my eyes on You. When I am afraid and start to sink, reach out Your hand and catch me. Thank You that You are always present even when I cannot see You. Amen.

Jesus took Peter, James, and John up a high mountain by themselves. There, He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun and His clothes became as white as light. Moses and Elijah appeared and were talking with Jesus. The three disciples fell face down in fear. Jesus came and touched them and said not to be afraid. When they looked up, they saw only Jesus.

Moses represented the Law and Elijah represented the Prophets. Together they were the two great pillars of the Old Testament. Their appearing with Jesus was a sign that Jesus was the fulfillment of everything the Law and the Prophets had pointed to. He was not replacing them. He was completing them. And when the cloud spoke, God said this is my Son. Listen to Him. Jesus's authority was above everything.

Peter wanted to build shelters so they could all stay there and the moment could last. But God redirected them to Jesus alone. When the cloud lifted, they saw only Jesus. This is the message of the Transfiguration: everything points to Jesus, and Jesus is enough. Moses and Elijah were important, but they stepped aside. Jesus remained. When we are not sure who to listen to, the Father's voice at the Transfiguration gives us the answer: Listen to Him.

1. Who went up the mountain with Jesus?
2. What happened to Jesus's appearance?
3. Who appeared with Jesus and what did they represent?
4. What did the voice from the cloud say?
5. What did the disciples see when they looked up after falling down?

Draw the transfiguration scene: Jesus shining on the mountain, Moses on one side, Elijah on the other, the three disciples on the ground. Write Listen to Him in large letters across the top.

Dear Jesus, You are the fulfillment of everything God promised. Help me to listen to You above all other voices. When I am confused about what to believe or what to do, remind me to look to You alone. Amen.

Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector in Jericho and was very wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was but the crowd was too big and he was too short. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see over the crowd. When Jesus reached the spot He looked up, called Zacchaeus by name, and said to come down because He was going to his house that day. Everyone was shocked.

Zacchaeus came down and welcomed Jesus joyfully. The crowd grumbled that Jesus was going to the home of a sinner. But something had happened in Zacchaeus. He stood and said he would give half of everything he owned to the poor, and that if he had cheated anyone he would pay them back four times the amount. That is not a man performing for approval. That is a man whose heart had been transformed.

Jesus's explanation for why He had gone to Zacchaeus's house tells us His whole mission: the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. Jesus did not wait for Zacchaeus to clean himself up and come to Him. He went looking for him. He called him by name. He invited Himself to his house. This is who Jesus is: the seeker of the lost, the welcome for the excluded, the salvation for those everyone else had written off.

1. Why did Zacchaeus climb a tree?
2. What did Jesus say when He reached the tree?
3. How did the crowd respond?
4. What did Zacchaeus say he would do after meeting Jesus?
5. What does Jesus say His mission is in verse 10?

Draw Zacchaeus in a tree and Jesus below looking up. Write the name Zacchaeus on the tree and write your own name on a rock below. Remember that Jesus knows your name too and came to seek you.

Dear Jesus, thank You for seeking out people like Zacchaeus and like me. You know my name. You stop for me. Help me to climb down from wherever I am hiding and welcome You with joy. Amen.

When the crowd heard Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, they took palm branches, which were symbols of victory and kingship, and went out to meet Him. They shouted Hosanna, which means save now, and blessed is the king of Israel who comes in the name of the Lord. They were quoting a psalm used to welcome arriving kings. The whole city was buzzing. Even the Pharisees said the whole world had gone after Him.

Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a young donkey. John says this fulfilled a prophecy from Zechariah: do not be afraid, daughter of Zion, your king is coming, seated on a donkey's colt. A warrior king rides a horse. A king coming in peace rides a donkey. Jesus was telling the crowd what kind of king He was: not a military conqueror but the Prince of Peace, coming to bring salvation not by force but by sacrifice.

Most of the crowd was shouting for a king who would rescue them from Roman rule. They did not understand that Jesus had come to rescue them from something far worse than Rome: their sin. By the end of the week, the same crowds would be shouting crucify Him. But Jesus knew what He had come to do, and He rode toward Jerusalem and toward the cross anyway, because that was the only way to save them.

1. What did the crowd wave as Jesus entered Jerusalem?
2. What did they shout?
3. What kind of animal did Jesus ride?
4. What did that choice say about the kind of king Jesus was?
5. What had Jesus really come to Jerusalem to do?

Draw Jesus riding a donkey into Jerusalem with crowds waving palm branches. On the palm branches write words that describe who Jesus truly is: King, Savior, Prince of Peace, Son of God.

Dear Jesus, You rode into Jerusalem knowing what was coming. You are not the kind of king who conquers by force but the kind who wins by love and sacrifice. Help me to understand what kind of king You truly are and to follow You. Hosanna! Amen.

At the beginning of the meal, Jesus got up, wrapped a towel around His waist, and began washing His disciples' feet. This was a servant's job. Peter did not want Jesus to wash his feet. Jesus said if He did not wash Peter, Peter would have no part with Him. He explained that since He, their Lord and Teacher, had washed their feet, they should also wash each other's feet. The greatest among them was to be the servant of all.

Jesus gave His disciples a new commandment: to love one another the way He had loved them. This was not new in content because the Old Testament had always said to love your neighbor. What was new was the standard: as I have loved you. Jesus's kind of love was a self-giving, sacrificial love that held nothing back. This is the love He was calling His disciples to show each other. He said everyone would know they were His disciples by this love.

Jesus told the disciples He was going away but that He would not leave them as orphans. He promised to send them the Holy Spirit, whom He called the Helper and the Spirit of truth. The Spirit would teach them everything and remind them of what Jesus had said. He told them not to let their hearts be troubled and not to be afraid because He was leaving them His peace. The Spirit would be the ongoing presence of Jesus with them.

1. What surprising thing did Jesus do at the beginning of the meal?
2. What lesson did Jesus teach by washing the disciples' feet?
3. What was the new commandment Jesus gave?
4. What was new about the standard Jesus set for loving?
5. What did Jesus promise to send after He left?

Draw two pictures side by side. In the first draw Jesus washing a disciple's feet. In the second draw two people helping each other. Write Love one another as I have loved you between the pictures.

Dear Jesus, thank You for showing us what love really looks like by washing feet and going to the cross. Help me to love the people around me with that kind of love, not just when it is easy but when it costs something. Amen.

When soldiers came to arrest Jesus in the garden, Jesus stepped forward and identified Himself. The soldiers fell backward. For a moment, His power was visible and they were helpless. Jesus could have walked away. Instead He said if they were looking for Him, to let His disciples go. He was protecting them even as He was being arrested. He chose every step toward the cross.

Jesus was crucified alongside two criminals. Above His head, Pilate placed a sign reading the King of the Jews. He was mocked and His clothes were divided by soldiers gambling. Even from the cross Jesus showed love, making sure His mother would be cared for by His disciple John. When He knew everything was complete, He said it is finished and gave up His spirit. Three Greek words, tetelestai, paid in full.

Jesus died to pay for our sins. The punishment that our sin deserved, He took. The debt that we owed, He paid. It is finished was not a cry of defeat. It was a declaration of completion. Everything God had promised, everything the Passover lamb and all the sacrifices had been pointing to, was accomplished. The veil in the Temple tore in two, showing that the way to God was now open to everyone. Jesus finished what He came to do.

1. What showed that Jesus was choosing to be arrested rather than being forced?
2. What did the sign above Jesus's cross say?
3. What do the words it is finished mean?
4. Why did Jesus die on the cross?
5. What happened to the Temple veil and what did it mean?

Draw a cross. Around it write the things that were finished: our sin is forgiven, the debt is paid, the way to God is open, death is defeated, the prophecies are fulfilled. Thank Jesus for what He finished.

Dear Jesus, You chose the cross because You love me. Thank You for paying a debt I could not pay. Thank You that it is finished. Help me never to take that gift for granted. Amen.

Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early on the first day of the week while it was still dark. She found the stone had been rolled away. She ran to tell Peter and the beloved disciple. They ran to the tomb and found the grave cloths lying there but no body. The beloved disciple saw and believed. Then the disciples went home, still not fully understanding what had happened.

Mary stood outside the tomb crying. She looked in and saw two angels. Then she turned and saw a man she thought was the gardener. He asked why she was crying and who she was looking for. She said she was looking for Jesus. He said her name: Mary. Instantly she knew it was Jesus. She called out Rabboni, which means teacher. Jesus told her not to hold onto Him but to go tell the disciples He was ascending to the Father.

Later Jesus appeared to the disciples but Thomas was not there. When they told him they had seen the Lord, Thomas said he would not believe unless he touched the nail marks and the wound in Jesus's side. A week later Jesus appeared again and specifically invited Thomas to touch His wounds. Thomas responded with the most complete confession in John's Gospel: My Lord and my God. Jesus said blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe. That is us.

1. What did Mary find when she went to the tomb?
2. How did Mary recognize Jesus?
3. What did Thomas say he needed to believe?
4. What did Thomas say when Jesus appeared to him?
5. What does Jesus say about people who believe without seeing?

Draw an empty tomb with the stone rolled away and light coming from inside. Write He is risen! above it and My Lord and my God below it. Write your name on the tomb entrance and remember that because Jesus rose, you will too.

Dear Jesus, You are alive! Thank You for rising from the dead. Thank You that death is not the end and that Your promises are true. My Lord and my God. Amen.

The disciples were all together in one place when suddenly there was a sound like a violent rushing wind from heaven that filled the whole house. Then tongues of fire appeared and rested on each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in languages they had never learned, as the Spirit enabled them. Jerusalem was full of Jewish people from many different countries for the Pentecost festival and they all heard the disciples speaking in their own languages.

The crowd was amazed and confused. Some thought the disciples had been drinking. Peter stood up and explained what was happening. He preached about Jesus, about His death and His resurrection, and said God had made this same Jesus whom they had crucified both Lord and Messiah. The people were deeply moved and asked what they should do. Peter said to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins and they would receive the Holy Spirit.

About three thousand people believed and were baptized that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, to fellowship, to breaking bread, and to prayer. They sold possessions to share with anyone who had need. They met in the Temple every day and ate together in homes with gladness. Everyone was amazed and the Lord added to their number daily. The Church had been born.

1. What happened on the day of Pentecost?
2. What did the sound and fire represent?
3. What did Peter say people should do?
4. How many people believed and were baptized that day?
5. What did the early church devote themselves to?

Draw flames above the heads of several people standing together. Around them write the four things the early church devoted themselves to: teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, prayer. Then write one of those four things you want to be more devoted to.

Dear God, thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to live inside believers. Thank You that the same Spirit who came at Pentecost lives in me. Help me to be devoted like the early church to Your Word, to community, to worship, and to prayer. Amen.

Paul had been a Pharisee who violently opposed the early Christians. Then he had a dramatic encounter with the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus that changed him completely. He became as passionate about spreading the gospel as he had been about stopping it. The church at Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas on the first missionary journey, and they began traveling to cities throughout the Roman world planting churches.

Paul traveled by ship and on foot across thousands of miles. He was shipwrecked, beaten, imprisoned, stoned and left for dead, bitten by a snake, and opposed at every turn. He wrote letters to the churches he had started to encourage them and teach them. Through all the hardships, Paul said he had learned to be content in all circumstances because he could do all things through Christ who strengthened him.

Paul eventually reached Rome, the capital of the Empire and the center of the known world. Even in prison there, he kept preaching and teaching. The book of Acts ends with Paul in Rome under house arrest, welcoming all who came to him, boldly proclaiming the kingdom of God. The story does not have a neat ending because the story was not over. It continued through the church, through ordinary people who carried the message, all the way to us today.

1. Who was Paul before he became a missionary?
2. What happened to Paul on the road to Damascus?
3. What hardships did Paul face on his missionary journeys?
4. Where did Paul eventually end up?
5. How did the gospel reach you?

Draw a map of the Mediterranean world and trace Paul's missionary journeys with different colored lines. Then draw a dotted line from Rome all the way to where you live today to show how the gospel traveled from Paul's time to yours.

Dear God, thank You for people like Paul who were willing to face hardships to share the gospel. Thank You that the message eventually reached me. Help me to share it with others so the story continues through my life. Amen.