26 March 2017

Toddler Class

Coach Carrie

Asst. 1 : Ruth

Asst. 2 : Tesa

Primary Class 1-3

Coach Iwan

(Asst. Shevica)

Primary Class 4-6

Coach Kent

(Asst. Joel)

ACTS: PETER & CORNELIUS

HOOK

CLEAN OR UNCLEAN

Materials: Half glass bottle of Water, Half glass bottle of Cooking oil, Dishwashing liquid.

(You should practice beforehand so you know how much detergent to put in etc)

Some things just don’t mix together. Like oil and water. They are always separate from one another.

[Pour the water into the oil and swish them around in the bottle. The liquids may seem to mix together for a while, but will then return to 2 distinct layers]

Previously, God’s special people, the Jews, would not mix with anyone who is NOT a Jew. Those people (NOT-Jews) were called Gentiles. The Jews followed God’s laws, so they considered themselves “clean”. The Gentiles didn’t follow God, so they were “unclean”. They were like oil, and Gentiles were like water. They didn’t mix.

Today we will learn how Jesus came to die and save … not just the Jews, but also the Gentiles. It is Jesus who breaks the barrier between the Jews and the Gentiles so that we can all be one family of God in Christ.

[Pour a little bit of detergent into the glass bottle and swish it around again. This time, the water and the oil will form one mixture.]

In today’s story, we learn how God had to teach Peter (a Jew) that even the Gentiles can receive God’s gift of salvation.

STORY (Acts 10)

BACKGROUND (for older kids)

Under the Old Covenant, God called the Abraham out as His special friend. Abraham’s descendants/family would be God’s special people. These were the Israelites, also called the Jews. The Jews were God’s special people. God’s perfect Savior was going to be born from the Jews.

God had special laws for the Jews to follow. These laws were to protect His people and also to make them different from the other people (called the Gentiles) who worshipped idols/false gods. Are you a Jew or Gentile?

  

One of the laws they followed was the type of food they could or couldn’t eat. Jews could only eat the food that God said were “clean”. They were not allowed to eat any food that were considered “unclean”. It’s a bit like the Muslims and their “halal” or “non-halal” food.

The laws about being “clean” and “unclean” were not to allow the Jews to think they were better than the Gentiles. The Jews may not have fully understood, but God’s plan was to one day allow Gentiles to be a part of His family.

And after Jesus, the promised Saviour, came to die for the sins of the whole world (not just the Jews), God began revealing His gift of salvation to the whole world.

Meet Cornelius

Today we learn about a man named Cornelius.

Acts 10:1-2 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.

What do we know about Cornelius?

·         He lived in Caesarea

·    He was a centurion of the Italian Regiment (A centurion: A commander in charge of up to 100 men. Regiment: battalion/legion of about 6,000 men.)

·      Cornelius was NOT a Jew, but he lived a life following the example of devout Jewish people.

·         He gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.

Although Cornelius was a good man, he was not saved. His was had sin, which blocked him from God. He had not heard the Good News that Jesus died on the cross for his sins.

One day, God sent an angel to speak to Cornelius by sending an angel to speak to him while he was in prayer. God told Cornelius to send for a man named Peter in Joppa. So Cornelius sent 3 men to bring Peter back to him.

Peter’s Vision

(Suggestion: Prepare a large white sheet with several “unclean” soft toy animals in them. Get 4 kids to hold the 4 corners and move the sheet up and down as you tell the story)

While the 3 men were on the way to find Peter, God was also busy preparing Peter’s heart. Why?

Because Cornelius was a Gentile (not a Jew). And to Peter, a Jew, Gentiles were “unclean”. Jews were NOT supposed to mix with Gentiles.

In Acts 10:9-14, God sent Peter a dream. Peter was praying and G, around noon time, he started feeling hungry. While waiting for the food to be prepared, he fell into a trance/dream-like state.

He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds uncleaned animals — four-footed creatures, reptiles and birds. Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”

Peter resisted. He was a good Jew. He couldn’t eat unclean animals. “Surely not, Lord! I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”

The voice said, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”

This happened again. And again. After he third time, immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

Peter wasn’t sure what the vision meant. But as he was thinking about it, the 3 men sent by Cornelius arrived at the house and asked for him.

The Holy Spirit told Peter, “Three men are looking for you. So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.”

So Peter welcomed them in.

Peter tells Cornelius about Jesus

The next day, Peter went to Cornelius’ house with the 3 men and some other believers from Joppa.

Cornelius greeted him warmly, and his house was full of people waiting for Peter.

Peter said to them, “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean.

“I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.”

Peter told them all about Jesus and what He did when He was on earth, how He died on the cross and was raised from the dead, and the gift of forgiveness that comes from Him.

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all those in the house. The Jewish believers were surprised to see the Holy Spirit touching the Gentiles (the “unclean” people) — they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God!

Since God already poured out His Spirit on the Gentiles, Peter decided to baptize all those who wanted to believe in Jesus. “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.”

LESSON 

Sin makes us unclean. Jesus makes us clean.

Before, Gentiles couldn’t go near to God because of sin. Even the Jews could not go near to God unless they made all the sacrifices for their sin and washed themselves to make them clean.

Jesus’ death on the cross cleansed everything unclean. When we have Jesus, we are clean enough to stand before God.

God’s love is for everyone. Jesus’ gift of Salvation is for everyone.

God doesn’t look at people the same way as we do. He doesn’t like people or not like them based on their skin color, size or where they live. He doesn’t care if they are smelly and dirty, or big and important. God sees the heart of every man, woman, boy and girl. And He loves us all.

When Jesus died on the Cross, He died for every one of us. So that you and I, who are Gentiles, can now be part of God’s family.

So now … let’s share this Good News to everyone who does not know Jesus yet!

MEMORY VERSE: Acts 10:34-35 “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear Him and do what is right.”

HUDDLE TIME

Get the kids into small groups to pray for those whom they want to share Jesus to.

SONG: Jesus loves the little children 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cg6W76q6a2E

DANCE: Salvation is here 

https://youtu.be/euF_A2-0D7Q

SONG: Refuge 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9BbT90NrXg

19 March 2017

Toddler Class

Coach Susan

Asst. 1 : Laila

Asst. 2 : Yuni

Primary Class 1-3

Coach Susi Tjio

(Asst. Felicia)

Primary Class 4-6

Coach Lusiana

(Asst. Shawn & Nico)

ACTS: PAUL MET JESUS

HOOK

Show a picture of a caterpillar and how it goes through metamorphosis into a butterfly.

You may want to use a story book or video, if suitable.

STORY (Acts 9)

A few Sundays ago, we learned about a man called Stephen. He was one of the 7 chosen to help serve

God’s people. Do you remember what happened to him? Yes, he was stoned/killed by people who did not believe Jesus was God.

When the crowd surrounded Stephen and were throwing stones at him, one man, a Pharisee, stood there giving his approval. This man was called Saul.

Saul was a very devout Jew. He wanted to obey God and made sure other people obeyed God’s laws.

He wanted to get rid of the people who believed Jesus was God. When they told others about Jesus, Saul thought they were spreading lies, and wanted to stop them once and for all.

He went to the places where these followers of Jesus gathered and arrested men and women and had them thrown in jail. He went to the high priest and asked for permission to go to the synagogues in Damascus and arrest all those who were preaching there about Jesus.

So Saul and some men began the journey to Damascus. As they were getting closer, something happened. A bright light flashed from heaven. Saul fell to the ground.

And he heard a voice. “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me (or why are you hurting me)?”

“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked, terrified.

The voice replied, “I am Jesus of Nazareth. I am the One you are persecuting.” When Saul was hurting believers, he was really hurting Jesus Himself. Jesus told Saul to go into Damascus and he would receive instructions of what to do next.

The bright light disappeared, and Saul and his men were all alone again. As Saul got up from the ground, he opened his eyes but he couldn’t see anything! His men took him by the hand and led him into Damascus.

Meanwhile in Damascus there’s a believer named Ananias. Jesus appeared to him in a vision. “Ananias!”

“Yes Lord,” he answered.

Jesus told him to go to a house and ask for a man named Saul, place his hands on him and restore his sight.

Now, Ananias has heard about Saul. In fact, he was probably hiding from him. He didn’t want to be killed or thrown into prison. “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

But Jesus told him to go. Jesus had chosen Saul to do a great work and to tell all the Jews and non-Jews about Him.

So Ananias went to the house. He placed his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again! He got up and was baptized. And after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Pix illustrations can be found here: 

http://www.freebibleimages.org/illustrations/paul-conversion/

LESSON 

RED Class: Can go straight to “Jesus transforms us” as the main lesson of the day.

Jesus cares for us

After Stephen died, the followers of Jesus were persecuted/attacked. They were chased out from their homes, dragged to prison, killed etc.

Jesus wasn’t blind or deaf. He saw what was happening. In fact, He was suffering along with them.

When He met Saul, he asked him, “Why are you persecuting me?”

When others attack us for believing in Jesus, they are actually attacking Jesus. So we do not have to be afraid. When we go through challenges, know that Jesus is always there. He cares for us. And He is carrying us through.

Jesus transforms us

Like a caterpillar transformed into a butterfly, Saul met the Risen Savior on his way to Damascus and was transformed. He was no longer an enemy of God’s; now he was God’s child! Saul went to Damascus as a blood-thirsty Pharisee, out to destroy the church and to stop people from believing in Jesus. He arrived as a changed man and follower of Jesus.

When we meet Jesus, we are changed. 2 Cor 5:17 “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.”

God has a plan for our lives

Remember Acts 1:8? “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

The disciples were telling people about Jesus in Jerusalem. Then Stephen was killed, and they ran to Judea and Samaria, telling more people about Jesus. And Jesus told Ananias that Saul was chosen “to carry His name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel”.

God has work for each one of His children. Ephesians 2:10 says “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

What work do you think God has prepared for you to do?

HUDDLE TIME

Get the kids into small groups to pray for who they want to share Jesus with.

12 March 2017

Toddler Class

Coach Ochie

Asst. 1 : Arleen

Asst. 2 : Tirza & Theresia

Primary Class 1-3

Coach Shianty

(Asst. Dewi & Daniel)

Primary Class 4-6

Coach Savitri

ACTS: SHARING JESUS

HOOK

Write on a sheet of paper the following passage of scripture in 

Acts 8:32b- 33:

“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.”

Roll up the paper like a scroll, and ask one of the children (with good reading skills) to read.

(You can make a scroll by using 2 chopsticks or rolling up pieces of paper to make sticks for the top and bottom end of the scroll.)

Ask them who they think the passage is about.

This person was like a sheep being led to its slaughter (was going to be killed) and a silent lamb before its shearer (the person whom shaves its wool off).

It is about a person who did not do anything wrong but did not fight or speak out to defend himself when he was facing death as a punishment.

It was about Jesus.

Who wrote this? A prophet named Isaiah wrote it about 700 years before Jesus was born. God told him what would happen.

STORY (Acts 8:1-8, 26-40)

REVIEW MEMORY VERSE WITH ACTIONS

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

Last week, the disciples chose 7 men to help with the serving and caring of the people. One of them was Stephen, who was not afraid of telling people about Jesus, even when they were stoning him to death, he kept looking and Jesus and was full of joy.

Another of those 7 men was Philip. We will hear more about him today.

The persecution caused more people to hear the good news.

Remember that there was one man who was approving the killing of Stephen? What was his name? Saul.

After Stephen was stoned to death, a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, many believers were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him.

But Saul was trying to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragged out believers and put them in jail.

Where were the believers before the persecution?

In Jerusalem.

After the persecution? Judea and Samaria.

Do those names sound familiar to you? (Show the children the places in the map)

Before Jesus ascended to heaven, he said told the believers that they will be his witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and the ends of the earth. He knew it was going to happen.

Even when Satan tried to get rid of the church, God made good come out of it.

Everywhere the believers went, they told people about Jesus. 

If the persecution didn’t happened, people outside Jerusalem would not get to hear about Jesus. This includes you and me.

Philip went to the city of Samaria and told them about Jesus. He also healed many weak and crippled people there. People in that city heard the good news and were full of joy.

God wanted people to hear about Jesus and be saved. He arranged for believers to meet people to tell them about Jesus. One of the people who got to know Jesus was a man from Ethiopia.

Philip and the Ethiopian

God’s angel said to Philip, “Go to the desert road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza.” So Philip did what the angel said and he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official who was in charge of all the Ethiopian queen’s treasures. (If asked, explain that a eunuch was a man who served in the palace and was not allowed to have a girlfriend, wife or children.)

This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and was on his way home. He was sitting in his chariot reading from the scroll, the writings of Isaiah the prophet, which was the passage we read at the start of the class.

The Holy Spirit told Philip to run up to the chariot and Philip did so. Philip heard the man reading and he asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

The man didn’t understand, so Philip began explaining that passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus — Jesus was like a sheep being led to its slaughter and a silent lamb before its shearer. He allowed himself to be caught, beaten and killed because he took the punishment for our sins so that we can have eternal life.

Philip told the eunuch that if he believed in Jesus, he too would have eternal life. He told him to get baptized if he believed. The eunuch believed.

As they travelled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch wanted to be baptized. So Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.

Philip, however, appeared at another town and traveled about, sharing with people about Jesus in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

Pix illustrations can be found here: 

http://www.freebibleimages.org/illustrations/philip-ethiopian/

LESSON 

Even when it looked bad, God made good come out of it

Satan tried to get rid of the church. Stephen was killed. Saul tried to destroy the church. Believers were put in jail. All the remaining believers, except the apostles, ran away to different places in Judea and Samaria. They lost their homes.

But everywhere the believers went, they told people about Jesus. More and more people got to hear the good news and believed in Jesus.

Even when things look bad — like the believers facing persecution and death — God was able to work things out for good. (Romans 8:28)

When things look bad, eg you got scolded by the teacher, your brother/sister broke your favorite toy, your grandparent is sick etc, let’s remind ourselves of what God’s word says — He works things out for our good — and trust that He will do what he said.

God puts us where he wants us to be

When Philip ran away from Jerusalem, he went to Samaria and the people in Samaria got to hear the good news. God sent his angel to tell Philip where to go to meet the Ethiopian and because Philip did what the angel told him, he met the man, told him about Jesus and the man believed.

There are times when God may put us in a place which is new to us, maybe a new class/school/ neighbourhood/town/city/country. Don’t be afraid. God is with you. He may have someone special he wants you to meet, to encourage, to help or to share the good news.

Let’s not stop talking about Jesus

Many believers ran away to different places in Judea and Samaria. They lost their homes.

But everywhere the believers went, they told people about Jesus. Even though they facing persecution and death, they kept telling others about Jesus everywhere they went.

Let’s continue to keep our eyes on Jesus and tell our friends and family and neighbours about how much Jesus loves them and what He has done for them on the cross.

Ask the children if they have received Jesus as their Savior. If not, pray with them to receive Jesus.

HUDDLE TIME

Get the kids into small groups to pray for who they want to share Jesus with.

SONG: No other Name (with actions)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYCGhuJK53k

SONG: Refuge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9BbT90NrXg

DANCE: Salvation is here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erqsulxd1BQ

05 March 2017

Toddler Class

Coach Susan

Asst. 1 : Yessy

Asst. 2 : Tasya & Felianty

Primary Class 1-3

Coach Lily Bun

(Asst. San - San & Trista)

Primary Class 4-6

Coach Swanky

ACTS: STEPHEN SAW JESUS

HOOK

Prepare some water bottles as a target, and some pieces newspapers.

Get the kids into 2 groups, roll up the newspapers into balls and throw at the targets. 

First team to knock down all the water bottles wins.

You may want to put some water or sand in the bottles as added weight, but not too heavy because the newspapers are light.

STORY (Acts 6-7)

REVIEW MEMORY VERSE WITH ACTIONS

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit. And then they would be His witnesses, not just in Jerusalem, but in all Judea and Samaria, and all over the world.

At the moment, all the disciples were still meeting together in Jerusalem.

Seven Chosen to Serve

As the group of believers got bigger, there were lots of people to care for, especially widows. The disciples had to focus on prayer and teaching the

word of Christ. So they decided to choose 7 men to help with the serving and caring of the people.

These 7 men had to be:

·         Good reputation

·         Full of the Holy Spirit

·         Wise

So 7 men were chosen:

·         Stephen — described as a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit

·         Philip

·         Prochorus

·         Nicanor

·         Timon

·         Parmenas

·         Nicolaus, who was from Antioch

The disciples laid hands on them and prayed for them.

Aren’t the names funny? Let’s read them again and pay particular attention to the first two (Stephen and Philip). We will be learning more about them this and next Sunday.

Stephen: Full of Grace and Power

Stephen was a man who was full of grace and power. He did great wonders and signs among the people, and told them about Jesus.

Some people who heard Stephen preaching didn’t like him talking about Jesus. They tried arguing with him, but Stephen would answer them full of wisdom and the Holy Spirit.

So they arrested him and brought before the religious leaders. They told lies, saying, “This man wants to destroy the temple and God’s law.”

The religious leaders looked at Stephen. And they all saw that his face was like an angel. “Are these things so?” they asked.

Stephen took this opportunity to tell everyone about how, through the ages, God’s plan was to save

His people through His son, Jesus.

Stephen: Full of the Holy Spirit

All these made the people even more angry. Because they didn’t believe in Jesus, and they had called for Jesus’ death.

But Stephen didn’t look at the angry crowd. Instead, he looked to Jesus. He saw heaven and Jesus standing at God’s right hand.

When he told the people what he saw, they cried out with a loud voice, shut their eyes and charged at him. They dragged him out to the city and stoned him.

Do you know what stoning is? Do you know what you did earlier today … throwing those paper balls at the bottles? Imagine you were doing that with big rocks … at a person. Yup, they were throwing rocks at Stephen to kill him.

It would have been a very painful and slow death. But before he died, Stephen cried out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit”, and then, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”

Do you recognize those words? That’s right. Jesus said something similar when He was hanging on the cross. (Luke 23:34, 46)

And approving all these was a young man named Saul, whom we will learn about later.

Pix illustrations can be found here:

http : //www.freebibleimages.org/illustrations/stephen-martyred/

LESSON 

Stephen kept his eyes on Jesus.

He was filled with Jesus’ Spirit. He served the church well. He was not afraid of telling people about

Jesus even when they hated him for it. He continued to look to Jesus even when he was attacked and stoned. And when he died, he knew he was going to be with his beloved Lord and Saviour, and he was not afraid.

Even when the church was attacked, God worked out His purposes.

Stephen’s death should have destroyed the church. There was great persecution/attack against the church in Jerusalem, and the believers ran away.

Acts 8:1 And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

But God used this “running away” to spread the good news about Jesus to everyone in those regions.

Interestingly, Acts 8:1 is the fulfillment of part of Acts 1:8. The believers became witnesses in all Judea and Samaria.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Let’s not stop talking about Jesus

The early church showed us that sometimes, believing in Jesus can cost us our lives. But we do not have to be afraid. We know Jesus loves us soooo much that He gave us His life. And we are forever with

Him. Let’s continue to keep our eyes on Jesus. And let’s trust God to turn a bad situation into good.

Let’s continue to tell our friends and family and neighbours about how much Jesus loves them and what He has done for them on the cross.

HUDDLE TIME

Get the kids into small groups to pray for who they want to share Jesus to and pray for them.

SONG: No other Name (with actions)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYCGhuJK53k

SONG: Refuge

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9BbT90NrXg

DANCE: Salvation is here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erqsulxd1BQ