Through the Bible in 2020

After Stephen was killed for standing up for Jesus, a great persecution began. It wasn’t safe to be a follower of Jesus, so many believers moved. Wherever they went they told others the truth about Jesus. One man was determined to stop all this talk about Jesus; his name was Paul (also known as Saul). He got permission to throw believers in jail, but one day he had an unexpected encounter that changed his life!

Today’s Lesson - “Paul Meets Jesus”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eRXq-cKmr0 (Teaching Kids About Jesus - animated)

Lesson Overview:
Acts 9:1-9 - Paul had gotten permission to go to Damascus to find more Christians and bring them to prison in Jerusalem. However, on the way, Jesus met him. A light shined so brightly that it knocked Paul to the ground; then Jesus asked him, “Saul, why are you persecuting me?” When Saul asked who the voice belonged to, Jesus told him, “It is me, Jesus, whom you are persecuting!” After Paul asked Jesus what he wanted him to do, Jesus told him to go to Damascus and wait. When the light went away, Paul discovered he was blind and had to be led into the city by his friends.

Acts 9:10-16 - Ananias, a believer living in Damascus, had a vision from Jesus. He was told to go and pray for Paul so that he could once again see. Ananias was scared of Paul; he had heard all about him. But Jesus told him to go because Paul had a special job to do that Jesus was giving him. So Ananias went.

Acts 9:17-22 - Ananias placed his hands on Paul and prayed for him; immediately Paul could see again. Paul, who had been praying the whole time he was blind and refusing to eat, was so thankful to God. He got up, was baptized and then had something to eat to regain his strength. Over the next days Paul ended up going out into the city of Damascus, but rather than arresting Christians, he began telling people how to become one because he now believed that Jesus was the Messiah!

This week’s verse:
John 8:32 - “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Paul hated the Christians because he thought they were telling lies about God. What he didn’t know was that he was the one who was wrong. Jesus met Paul and corrected him. Once Paul knew the truth, he couldn’t stay quiet! How should we behave when we know the truth about Jesus? Sometimes we’re tempted to stay quiet because we don’t want other people to tease us. But we need to be like Paul–telling everyone we know the truth!
~Pastor Jane

Theme Verse for 2020:
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16+17

Season 3: Jesus the Storyteller
Episode 3: “The Man Whose Dept Was Forgiven”
Today’s Bible Bite: Matthew 18:21-35

Video Story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ED3fzkS-bhA (Saddleback Kids)

“Then Peter came to him and asked, ‘Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?’ ‘No, not seven times,’ Jesus replied, ‘but seventy times seven’ (Matthew 18:21-22).

Jesus told the story about a man who had been forgiven a huge amount of money, yet refused to do the same for someone else who owed him little. He said that God, like the king in His story, is very generous and compassionate–He has made a way to forgive us for the bad things we do. We could never be good enough to earn God’s forgiveness. Because of this, we should never withhold forgiveness from someone who wrongs us. We have experienced God’s full forgiveness and should do the same for others. Other people may hurt us a lot and it means that it takes a lot to forgive them; however, we’ll never have to forgive someone as much as God forgives us.

Jesus story also contained a warning. If we refuse to forgive other people, God will not forgive you. But when we forgive others, we can be certain that God forgives us too!

Think about it...

• Have you ever done something you know you shouldn’t have. What happens when we ask God to forgive us?
• People hurt us sometimes, just like we hurt others. What does God want us to do?
• Sometimes we’re very angry with other people. What does God say will happen if we refuse to obey other people?
• Even though it can be hard, we need to forgive others. What does God promise to do?

Prayer: Thank you, God, that you forgive us when we ask you to. Please help us to forgive others who hurt us. Help us to say sorry when we hurt others. Thank you that you made a plan so that we could experience your forgiveness and that no matter how we’ve messed up, you help us start new.