new testament unit 10: jesus grew the church lesson 4 ...14). this woman, a gentile “who worshiped...

God’s Unfolding StoryHour B

Suggested Schedule:

ArrivalCenters – 25 minutes

Clean-up Time – 5 minutes

Bible Story Time – 15 minutes

Craft Time – 10 minutes

Snack Time – 10 minutes

Game Time/Dismissal

God’s Unfolding Story for Older Preschoolers, Copyright © 2013 - SundaySchoolZone.com NT10 Lesson 4 Hour B

1. God created everything.

2. People disobeyed God.

3. God chose a special people.

4. God sent Jesus to help us.

5. Jesus began the Church.

6. Jesus is preparing heaven for us.

Unfolding God’s Story for TeachersActs 16:11-15 documents just one of the many missionary adventures Paul and his friends experienced. Paul wanted to go into Asia, but the Holy Spirit prevented him from doing so (see v. 6). This was not the Asia we know; it was a limited Roman imperial province called Asia. Since this area seemed blocked, the team prepared to go into Bithynia but once again was hindered by the Spirit (see v. 7). Paul and his associates then went to Troas (see v. 8). They must have been frustrated because they sensed a call to go, yet seemingly were prevented at every turn. The Spirit never had misdirected Paul before; perhaps this was an opportunity simply to wait. One night while they were in Troas, Paul had a vision in which a man from Macedonia appeared and pleaded for him to come over and help (see v. 9). Some scholars suggest the Macedonian man was Luke. Regardless of who appeared in Paul’s vision, Luke, who wrote Acts, apparently became a part of Paul’s missionary team; the pronoun we appears beginning in verse 10. The team set out to travel the northern area of the Aegean Peninsula, which in Paul’s day was most of Greece. This area also was part of Europe.

It was along this route that our story took place. The missionaries sailed from Troas to an island called Samothrace, from which they sailed along the coast to Neapolis, the port city for Philippi. They then headed for Philippi (see vv. 11-12). The Sabbath came and the missionary team was eager to worship, but apparently there were not enough Jewish men in Philippi to warrant a synagogue. The team evidently had heard that a group was meeting for prayer along the riverbank, so they went in search of this gathering. The group, made up of God-fearing women, welcomed Paul and his friends. God

“opened” one woman’s “heart” in particular “to pay attention to…Paul” (v. 14). This woman, a Gentile “who worshiped God” (v. 14), was named Lydia. She was a seller of expensive purple cloth from Thyatira in Lydia, a section of the province of Asia. Thus, in a sense, even though he was in Europe, Paul was reaching Asia. Lydia and her whole household became believers and

were baptized (see v. 15), probably in the same river near the place the women met for prayer.

We know that God had a plan for Paul and his team, and He was bringing it to fruition. God was working in the hearts of many along this route; people were waiting to hear what these missionaries had to share. The Lord has planned and prepared paths for us as well. We are missionaries called to share the good news of Jesus Christ along our way. Preschoolers can know that they, too, can tell their friends and family members about Jesus’ love. In Psalm 8:2 we read, “You have established a stronghold from the mouths of children and…infants to silence the enemy and the avenger.” God uses the small and the great to spread His Word.

New Testament Unit 10: Jesus Grew the Church Lesson 4: Paul Taught Lydia about Jesus

Arrival• Greet children at eye level and express how happy

you are to see them.• Be sure each child has a name tag and the security

measures of your church are followed.• Label all coats and personal belongings. Strongly

encourage children who have brought items from home, such as toys and books, to place them on a shelf while they are working with other materials. Assure children their items will be safe and they can take them home at the end of the session.

• Help each child make a choice where he or she would like to begin his or her Center Time.

Lesson Plan

Bible Story: Paul Taught Lydia

about Jesus (16:11-15)Bible Phrase:

“Paul taught about Jesus.” (Acts 16:14)

Bible Truth: I can tell about Jesus.

Center TimeHome Living Center: Role PlaySupplies:

• Small rocking chair, sink and stove unit, small table and chairs; plastic dishes, child pots and pans, plastic food items; and doll items such as baby doll, doll bed, doll bag, blanket, clothes, bottles, and diapers. What to Do: Home living items will encourage children to role play home activities such as cooking, cleaning and caring for the baby. Link to the Bible Story: As children play, look for opportunities to engage in conversation about the Bible story, Bible Phrase, or Bible truth.

NT10 Lesson 4 Hour B

Art Center: Make a Purple Blob Painting

Supplies:• White paper • Red and blue washable

tempera paint, tubes preferredWhat to Do: Print today’s Bible Phrase at

the bottom of each paper. Fold paper in half and open. Assist child in squirting a quarter-size

amount of each paint color in the center of the fold. Ask the child to fold her paper again and gently rub her hand down the fold. Invite her to open the paper to

reveal a design. Talk about the new color made with red and blue.

Link to the Bible Story: Read the Bible Phrase, “Paul taught about Jesus” Acts 16:14.

Express to children that a man named Paul taught a woman named Lydia

about Jesus. Comment that Lydia sold purple cloth to earn a living.

Puzzle Center: Work Puzzles

Supplies:• Offer a variety of non-fantasy

wooden or cardboard puzzles for children to work.

What to Do: Encourage children to finish a puzzle before leaving the

center. Give guidance rather than doing the puzzle for the child. Link to the Bible Story: As children work,

look for opportunities in conversation to say the Bible Phrase or to briefly tell

the Bible story.

Block Center: Build with BlocksSupplies:

• Wooden blocks• Toy boats• Large sheet of blue paperWhat to Do: Provide a small carpet if possible. Blocks are best located in a corner of the room away from the traffic flow. Cut the blue paper to look like a lake or pond. Place the toy boats on the “lake.”Link to the Bible Story: As children build, listen for opportunities to share the Bible Phrase or to tell a part of the Bible story. Emphasize that Paul and his friends traveled many miles, often by boat, telling people about Jesus.

God’s Unfolding Story for Older Preschoolers, Copyright © 2013 - SundaySchoolZone.com

Bible Learning Center: Follow a Maze

Supplies: • Copies of Activity Page: Maze, “Paul

Taught Lydia about Jesus” (Reproducible)• Crayons or washable markers

What to Do: Invite children to use a crayon or marker to follow the path of Paul’s boat as

he went from place to place to tell people about Jesus.

Link to the Bible Story: Explain: “Paul rode in a boat to different places telling

people about Jesus. Sometimes he also walked. In and in our story

today Paul stopped in a city by the river and a taught a woman

named Lydia about Jesus.”


Clean-up TimeEncourage

preschoolers to help at clean-up time.

Assign specific tasks for preschoolers to do such as

placing all the crayons in the basket, throwing away the trash,

gathering all the glue sticks, etc. Guide children to the

Bible Story Time area.

Introduction• Show the God’s Unfolding Story Cube. Point to each symbol and tell God’s Unfolding Story. (Refer to page 1.) Encourage children to repeat the points of the story with you. • Comment to boys and girls that today’s story is from fifth point, Jesus Began the Church. (Point to that symbol on the cube.)• Express the following in your own words: “Has anyone ever ridden in a boat? What was it like? Did you like it? Our story today is

about a follower of Jesus named Paul. Paul and his friends often rode in a boat from place to place telling people about Jesus. At other times they traveled on land by walking. One day they were able to talk with some people by a riverbank near a town called Philippi.”

Bible StoryPaul Taught Lydia about Jesus (Acts 16:11-15)Paul and his helpers were traveled many miles by boat. They wanted to tell people about Jesus. After landing their boat at a place called Neapolis, they walked for about 10 miles to Philippi, where they stayed for a while. When the special day of the week for worshiping God arrived, Paul and his friends wanted to worship with other people who loved God. They walked outside the city and along the river’s edge. By the river they found a group of women who were worshiping God and praying. Paul and his helpers joined the group. Paul spoke to the women about Jesus. One of them, a woman named Lydia, sold an expensive kind of material called purple cloth to earn a living. She knew about God but she had not heard about Jesus. God helped Lydia pay close attention to Paul’s words. After Paul spoke, Lydia asked if she could become a follower of Jesus. Of course she could! She believed

Jesus died for her and trusted Him to forgive her of her sins. Her family members believed in Jesus, too. All of them were baptized. Then Lydia invited Paul and his helpers to stay in her home.

Talk Time1. Show the teaching picture for today’s Bible

story. Ask: “How did Paul and his friends travel to Philippi? What did Paul and his friends want to do on the special day of worship? Whom did Paul tell about Jesus?”

2. Say today’s Bible Phrase together, “Paul taught about Jesus” (Acts 16:14). Express to the boys and girls that Paul loved Jesus, and he spent his life traveling all over the world telling people about Him. Express to boys and girls that we also can tell others about Jesus.

3. Close the Bible Story Time in prayer, asking God to help us tell other people about Jesus, just as Paul did.

4. Direct children to Craft Time.

Bible Story Time

Supplies:• Bible • Teaching Picture “Paul Taught Lydia about

Jesus” (Reproducible)• God’s Unfolding Story Cube

(Reproducible/Cardstock)

Snack TimeBe sure to wash hands or use hand sanitizer. Say a thank-you prayer to God for the snack. When snack time has ended, encourage preschoolers to help with cleaning up.


Craft TimeBible Phrase BoatSupplies: • Copies of “Bible Phrase Boat” (1 copy per child)• Crayons or washable markers• Tape, glue, craft sticks, paper cups What to Do: Invite children to color their boat and sail. Assist in cutting out items as needed. Give children cups and ask them to turn them top down. Each child should glue or tape his boat to the cup. Next each child can glue or tape his sail to a craft stick. Assist in inserting the craft stick into the bottom of the boat. Link to Bible Story: As children work, talk about how Paul and his friends got to the city where Lydia lived and how Paul taught Lydia about Jesus. Ask preschoolers to use their puppets to tell the story of Paul and Lydia to a family member or friend.

Game Time/DismissalBible Phrase Whisper GameSupplies: • No materials neededWhat to Do: Ask children to form a circle in the Game Time area. Tell boys and girls that you are going to whisper one word at a time of the Bible Phrase to the first child in the circle. For instance, whisper “Paul.” Direct that child to whisper the word “Paul” to the person sitting next to her. Explain that children should continue whispering until everyone has heard the word, at which time everyone shouts out the word. Correct if necessary. Next whisper “taught.” Continue until all the words of the Bible Phrase have been whispered and spoken aloud. Say the phrase in its entirety at the end of the game: “Paul taught about Jesus” (Acts 16:14). At the close of the activity, remind boys and girls that in today’s Bible story, Paul told Lydia about Jesus. Invite the boys and girls to tell their friends about Jesus. Dismiss children when parents arrive. Be sure to follow your church’s security guidelines.


Resources and SuppliesStandard Art Supplies

(Supplies that are generally in the room)

Washable markersCrayons

Child scissorsPlaydough and accessories

Drawing paperEasel (optional)Glue/glue sticks

Tempera paint, 4 colorsTape/masking tape

Pencils/colored pencilsHole punch

Teacher scissorsStapler/staples

Permanent markersWatercolorsPaintbrushes

Yarn

Standard Equipment

(Equipment that is generally in the room)

Small beanbag for Bible Story TimeAssorted wooden/cardboard puzzles

Set of wooden blocksSmall cars and trucks

Doll bedBaby doll (soft plastic)

Stove/sink unitPlay dishes/pots and pans

Small table and chairsSmall carpet for block area

Play food itemsStorage shelf for blocks

Tables and chairs for art, puzzles, and Bible Learning Center

CD player/Children’s Worship CDs

Reproducibles(Included with the lesson plan downloads)

Activity Page: Maze, “Paul Taught Lydia about Jesus” (1 copy per child)Bible Phrase Boat (1 copy per child)

Teaching Picture: “Paul Taught Lydia about Jesus” (1 copy per class)God’s Unfolding Story Cube (Cardstock—1 copy per class)

Parent Page (1 copy per child)Coloring Page “Paul Taught Lydia about Jesus”

Additional Art and Bible Learning MaterialsRed and blue tempera paint

White paper (1 per child)

Hour B

Additional Craft MaterialsPaper cups (1 per child)Craft sticks (1 per child)

New Testament Unit 10: Jesus Grew the Church Lesson 4: Paul Taught Lydia about Jesus

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Paul Taught Lydia about Jesus

NT10 Lesson 4 Hour B Center Time: Bible Learning CenterGod’s Unfolding Story for Older Preschoolers, Copyright © 2013 - SundaySchoolZone.com

Activity Page: Paul Taught Lydia about JesusInstructions: One copy per child. Use a crayon or marker to follow the path of Paul’s boat as he went place to place telling people about Jesus.

1 1 1 Paul taught about Jesus. Acts 16:14

Bible Phrase Boat

NT10 Lesson 4 Hour B Craft TimeGod’s Unfolding Story for Older Preschoolers, Copyright © 2013 - SundaySchoolZone.com

Craft: Bible Phrase BoatInstructions: One copy per child. Color the boat and sail and cut out. Turn a paper cup upside down and tape the boat to the cup. Tape the sail to a craft stick and insert into the bottom of the boat.

Paul taught about Jesus.

Acts 16:14

God’s Unfolding Story CubeInstructions: Cut out on dotted lines, fold on solid lines. Glue or tape to form a cube.

God’s Unfolding Story for Older Preschoolers, Copyright © 2012 - SundaySchoolZone.com

new testament unit 10: jesus grew the church lesson 4 ...14). this woman, a gentile “who worshiped...

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