Mar 07 Kidz Sunday School

We are using The Gospel Project Bible Study curriculum for our online Preschool/K and Elementary Sunday School classes.  We are going through the Bible chronologically on a journey to discover how the gospel unfolds.

We are currently studying the New Testament and going through lessons from <Volume 10: The Mission Beings>.  You can find the songs for this quarter's lessons on Spotify® for Preschool-K and Grade 1-6.

Below is a summary of this week's Sunday School lesson for the parents.  If you have registered your child(ren) for Kidz Sunday School, you can access the full lesson and resources on the CCAC KidMin Resources group page (log in to see the resources list) to use with your family at home.

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Unit 30, Session 1: Philip and the Ethiopian (Acts 8)

DEAR PARENTS
The believers in the early church faced intense persecution. After Stephen was killed, Jesus’ followers at the church in Jerusalem scattered; however, they did not stop talking about Jesus. They continued to share the good news. One man, Philip, took the gospel to Samaria. The crowds there listened and believed, and they had great joy.

In today’s Bible story, Philip was instructed by an angel of the Lord to go to a certain road in the desert. Philip obeyed. The Spirit led Philip to a chariot, where an Ethiopian official was reading the Scriptures from the prophet Isaiah. The Ethiopian man did not understand what he was reading, so Philip explained it to him.

The man was reading from the prophet Isaiah: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter … In his humiliation justice was denied him … For his life is taken from the earth” (Acts 8:32-33). The official wondered if Isaiah was speaking about himself or another person. Philip told the official that Isaiah’s words weren’t about Isaiah; they were about the Messiah—Jesus! The official believed in Jesus and was baptized.

Guide your kids to consider the role of the Holy Spirit in this interaction between Philip and the Ethiopian official. Who was responsible for Philip’s going to the desert? Who helped Philip explain the Scriptures? Who changed the heart of the official so he would believe?

The Ethiopian official knew what the Old Testament prophets said, but he did not understand that they spoke about Jesus. The Holy Spirit led Philip to help the official understand the good news about Jesus: Jesus died on the cross for our sins and was raised from the dead, just like the Old Testament prophets said.

After his interaction with the Ethiopian official, Philip continued sharing the gospel in all the towns on his way to the town of Caesarea.

In our mission of making disciples, believers must be willing instruments to be used in the hands of the Lord. Philip didn’t go into the desert today with a strategy for converting another man; the Holy Spirit led Philip, and he obeyed. As believers, we can be open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and willing to follow His lead. He will go with us.

Check this session’s Activity Page and the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.

FAMILY STARTING POINTS
Preschool:

• Philip told the Ethiopian man about Jesus.
• Why does the church exist? The church exists to glorify God.

Kids:

• The Holy Spirit led Philip to tell the Ethiopian man about Jesus.
•  Why does the church exist? The church exists to glorify God by worshipping Him, showing His love, and telling others about Jesus.

KEY PASSAGE
Preschool:

• “He is the head of the body, the church."  Colossians 1:18 (NIV)

Kids:

• "He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent." Colossians 1:18 (ESV)

NEXT WEEK
Paul Met Jesus (Acts 8-9)