Acts 23:12-35

God sends Paul a helper

On day four your kids will learn that God sends us helpers to keep us safe as we follow Jesus.

Once things had calmed down after Jesus had died at the hand of the religious leaders, they turned their attention to a new guy spreading news of God’s rescue plan for people. Paul’s life is in danger, the religious leaders are plotting to kill him just as they had with Jesus. But as always, God is in control.

It is easy to overlook children, and what they can do for God. Its easy to assume that they aren’t old enough to do things for the Lord. But in this story, we see God sending Paul’s nephew, to warn Paul of the conspiring plot against him. God can use anyone, of any age, who is willing to listen and yield to Him.

Each day we have seen God protect Paul so that he could keep running the race to tell others about Jesus. On day ONE we saw God stop Paul from doing harm to the followers of Jesus and change his heart. God saved Paul on the road to Damascus. On day TWO we saw God keep Paul safe in prison and even set him free from his chains. On day THREE we saw God keep Paul safe from the riot in Damascus. And on day FOUR God sends help, through a young man, to keep Paul safe.

Discuss: Talk with your kids about the ways God has kept you safe. People God put in your life to protect you. Ways that God is protecting the. It is important that children see the ways that God keeps us safe too.

Acts 16:16-39

On day two the kids will see our athletes talking about the importance of working with others. We will also see Paul invite others on his road to following Jesus.

Paul’s journey has begun. After he meets Jesus on the road to Damascus his life race is changed forever.  When he once hated Jesus, his heart is now filled with love for his savior. Instead of trying to diminish Christian growth, he is now helping the church grow!

On the road to following Jesus, Paul is inviting others to join him. The race that Paul talked about in our memory verse (Acts 20:24) is sharing the message with others of God’s grace.

Take some time to read today’s passage, its a little heavy; a young girl is filled with an evil spirit that speaks against Paul and his friends, Paul and Silas get thrown in prison for helping her and for telling their story of God sending Jesus to rescue them, during the night the prison breaks open, and then the guard is invited to join Paul on the road to following Jesus.

Review yesterdays story:

Before Paul meets Jesus on the road to Damascus how does he view the purpose of his life?________________________________________________________

After Paul meets Jesus how does he change both physically and spiritually?___________________________________________________

In today’s story we see that Paul even wants to invite others with him and together join in the race!

Think of a time you have shared the story of God sending Jesus to rescue you from your brokenness.

Acts 19:23-

Theme: The Road to following Jesus is not always easy.

Being an athlete is not easy, in fact its very difficult. If you were to read a news article about any Olympic athlete you would see their achievements and their obstacles.   The article will talk about their recoveries from injuries, the mental anguish they may have gone through, the hardship of being away from their family,maybe financial obstacles,  and the ways they have overcome hardships in their event.

Have you ever experienced an obstacles? All competitions, all sports have different obstacles that we might go through. Examine a few biblical passages about obstacles we will go through in life. What do these verses say about the obstacles we face?

Hebrews 12:1____________________________________________________________

Romans 8:18-21__________________________________________________________

Genesis 3:17-19.__________________________________________________________

We live in a world where people daily face obstacles. Maybe because of a sin we get entangled in or sometimes because we live in a broken world. Paul also faced obstacles while on the road to following Jesus:

Acts 14:19_____________________________________________________________

2 Cor. 11:22-12:10_______________________________________________________

Romans 7:15-25________________________________________________________

When you think about your road to following Jesus what might be some obstacles you have faced? What has made your road to following Jesus not easy?

Paul is going to learn how God is going to provide for him when the race gets difficult and obstacles get in the way.

There is something really amazing that happens during the Opening Ceremonies of each Olympics, seeing all the different nations participating walking into the arena, together. This year 193 Independent Countries and 11 territories will be sending athletes to compete in the games. That’s 204 nations from around the world, 204 different people groups who will be brought together for games.

Not all of the 204 nations like each other, and it is always possible that unlikely friendships will arise from two weeks of competing together, through life changing experiences.  In fact this description can be found on the website of the International Olympic Committee “The goal of the Olympic Movement is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practiced without discrimination of any kind, in a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.”

On day one of our Olympics we are going to learn about a very unlikely friendship that develops in Acts 9:1-22. We will meet a man named Saul. Saul is a man who is setting out on a journey to Damascus with the purpose of persecuting anyone who clams to be a follower of Jesus. Like many of the athletes we will see traveling to London from the far corners of the planet, Saul is traveling very far from home. While the Olympic athletes are on a more peaceable journey, Saul is not. His mission is not one of games but one of stopping the growth of the Christan church. At least he thinks that’s his mission until God meets him on the road and changes his path to the road of following Jesus.

In our first lesson we are going to see God change Saul’s heart so completely that he is no longer racing to Damascus to catch the followers of Jesus but to join up with them in their race. God changes Saul so completely that he becomes a new person all together, and even changes his name to Paul.

Paul becomes a friend of Jesus!

Family Discussion

Have you ever known someone who you didn’t think you could be friends with? Why did you think that?

Talk together about friends who have changed your life and helped you on your road to following Jesus.

What are ways that God has re-routed you, and put you back on the road of following Jesus?