This Week's Bible Lesson

September 20th: Saul Speaks Up!
Main Point: Jesus Transforms us!
Bible Passage: Acts 9:19b-31

LISTEN: This week we have ONE video for both Pre-K and Elementary kids. Enjoy!

LEARN: Elementary students will benefit from both discussion and activities. 
Pre-schoolers will be more engaged in activities, but 4-5 year olds might be ready for some discussion as well.

1. Have you ever experienced a big change in your life like Saul did? (Moving to a new home? Losing a loved one?  Starting school?  Battling an illness?) How did that feel?  Did you feel DIFFERENT afterwards, like the experienced changed you?
   Saul immediately started telling other people about Jesus, but many followers of Jesus were afraid to trust him. He had been trying to hurt them, and they didn't believe that his faith in Jesus was real. Would you trust someone who had hurt you?  Have you ever been in Saul's place, where people didn't trust you?
2. When Saul went to meet Jesus' disciples, they were afraid of him. But Barnabas believed that Saul had been transformed by Jesus, and encouraged the others to trust him.  Saul must have felt very thankful for Barnabas!  Have you ever had someone speak up for you in a difficult situation?  What was that like?  Is there anyone in your life who needs a Barnabas to speak up for them?
3. How was Saul different before and after he met Jesus? What are some ways that Jesus transforms us? Check out Galatians 5:22-25 for some ideas:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

-Galatians 5:22-23

Learning Activities:

1. Ice Transformation: Grab a salt salt shaker and an ice cube. Put the ice cube in a dish and invite your kids to touch the ice cubes and describe what they feel like.  Explain that without Jesus, our hearts are kind of like ice: hard, and cold.  Give the ice cube a generous sprinkling of salt, explaining that when Jesus enters our lives, he changes us with his love and his truth.  Invite your kids to observe what happens when the ice comes in contact with salt.  Explain that when Jesus is in our life, he softens our hearts, and transforms us from proud to humble, selfish to selfless, hateful to forgiving, critical to gracious, bitter to joyful.
2. Watch a video about butterfly metamorphosis (or if you prefer, a reading of "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle." Explain to your child that God transforms us the same way he made the caterpillar transform into a butterfly! He slowly makes us into something new!

watch video

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

3. Memory Verse Game: Ephesians 2:10 "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Try saying the verse together in different styles.  How would it sound with a tiny mouse voice?  A big, bellowing elephant voice?  A slithery snake voice?  A robot voice?

LIVE IT: Apply these ideas to your life!

1. Pray together, asking God to transform us into the way He wants us to be.
2. Choose one of the fruits of the spirit (from Galatians 5:22-23) to focus on this week, letting Jesus transform you!

REMEMBER:  Jesus transforms us!

Our goal: to help our kids come to love Jesus Christ. 

CityKids Vimeo Channel (to view past videos)

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